Despite being vetoed last year, and then again this year, the West Virginia legislature has successfully overrode Gov. Tomblin’s veto to pass the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. This means West Virginia now has it’s first abortion limiting law on the books. West Virginia was previously one of just nine states with not a single abortion limiting law in place. That meant a woman could get an abortion for any reason up to the moment of birth. Considering the fact that a vast majority of West Virginians are pro-life – that was simply not acceptable.

We were all disappointed when our “pro-life” governor vetoed this bill last year; a decision that told us all we need to know about where Tomblin stands on the issue of life. After a second veto this year, no one in West Virginia will ever wonder about Tomblin’s position or whether he will defend life – he won’t.

National Right to Life made the following comment concerning the legislature’s override:

“In a 27-5 vote, the West Virginia state Senate today joined with the state House of Delegates in voting to override Governor Earl Ray Tomblin’s veto of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (HB 2568), legislation that protects unborn children from abortion at the point that they are able to feel pain. Tomblin’s veto came after the state House of Delegates and the state Senate overwhelmingly approved the bill in February. The legislature’s successful override of Gov. Tomblin’s veto means that the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act will go into effect in 90 days.”

Another article wrote:

“For the first time in 30 years, the West Virginia legislature has overriden a gubernatorial veto. With its vote today, the West Virginia state Senate overrode Governor Ear Ray Tomblin’s veto of a pro-life bill to ban abortions on unborn babies after 20 weeks. The 24-5 vote in the state Senate follows an earlier vote in the state House to override the veto and ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy on unborn babies who studies show can feel intense pain. Tomblin, who claims to be pro-life, has twice vetoed the pro-life legislation to protect unborn babies. The abortion ban, HB 2568, is scheduled to take effect on May 26.”

Let’s be clear, this isn’t merely an override. This was an overwhelming bi-partisan override that signals how out of touch Tomblin is with state lawmakers, and with West Virginians. Tomblin clearly desires to make his way to Congress and wants to show the national Democratic party that he is willing to “play ball” with them. His political posturing with the lives of unborn babies is callous at best, evil at worst. The fact that members of both sides of the aisle came together to defend and protect the unborn is cause for celebration.

West Virginian’s for Life political liaison Karen Cross said:

“The overwhelming override of the governor’s veto reflects the will of pro-life West Virginians who worked so hard to elect legislators who will stand for life. We are thankful that the legislature took up the mantle of protecting the most innocent and defenseless when we were failed by Governor Tomblin. Today, West Virginia is a safer place for pain-capable unborn children and a better place for all those who value human life.”

In case you are wondering why such a bill was needed, or why we need to limit abortions after 20 weeks, consider this thought by Mary Spaulding Balch of National Right to Life:

“Medical science provides substantial compelling evidence that unborn children flinch away from painful stimuli, that their stress hormones increase when they are subjected to anything painful, and that they require anesthesia for fetal surgery. States have a compelling interest in protecting the lives of unborn children who are capable of feeling pain from abortion. West Virginia becomes the eleventh state to recognize this obligation by enacting the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.”

Here’s the facts. There is two abortion clinics in West Virginia, both in Charleston. The larger, busier one performs roughly 3-5 abortions every single day. Compounding the problem is that this clinic has never once been inspected since it opened, in 1976! Nearly 40 year  have passed with not a single inspection by the health department. But, anyone who owns a beauty salon, pet store, tattoo studio, or other medical facility will be inspected every single quarter of the year promptly and without fail. Apparently, politicians in West Virginia don’t value unborn children near as  much as they value their dogs and tattoos. The fact that unborn children at 20 weeks feel pain means that abortion after that period of time is nothing short of torture as they are ripped apart limb by limb. We would not tolerate someone performing such acts on animals – even unwanted animals – how dare we tolerate such acts on human beings.

It’s a good day to be a West Virginian.