CONTACT: J.P. Duffy or Joshua Arnold, (866) FRC-NEWS or (866)-372-6397
WASHINGTON – On Friday, Family Research Council presented the 2019 Sam Adams Award for State Policymaker of the Year to Virginia House of Delegates Majority Leader Todd Gilbert (R-15).
The Samuel Adams Award is given to a state legislator who exemplifies the courage, character, and service of Founding Father Samuel Adams. While Adams is known primarily for his signature on the Declaration of Independence and his involvement in the Boston Tea Party, Adams was also a member of the Massachusetts House and Senate, and eventually became governor. In order to be nominated for this award an official must be in elected office and must have taken a bold stand in support of one of FRC’s core issues of life, marriage, or religious liberty.
Quena González, Director of State and Local Affairs at Family Research Council, explained the reason for the award in his remarks to the Values Voter Summit:
“When a New York-style abortion expansion bill was introduced in Virginia, repealing many of Virginia’s existing pro-life laws, its first stop was in a committee with House Majority Leader Todd Gilbert. Rather than merely vote against the bill, Delegate Gilbert dug in, questioning the bill sponsor and forcing her to admit what was in the bill.
“Delegate Gilbert didn’t back down in the face of the Left’s abortion push. Instead, he fearlessly pressed the bill’s sponsor in committee until she was forced to admit that her bill would, in fact, allow abortion throughout all stages of pregnancy, up to and including when the mother is about to give birth.
“Delegate Gilbert’s gentle but firm line of questioning laid bare the pro-abortion agenda, which refuses to protect the unborn at any stage of pregnancy—even, as Governor Northam confirmed, after the baby is born.
“The bill failed, and in several other states similar bills began to falter, including in states where pro-abortion forces thought they had the votes to pass.
“One person stood up and got the bill sponsor to tell the truth, and the pro-abortion onslaught of state laws suffered a huge setback,” Gonzalez concluded.
For a schedule and more information on this year's Values Voter Summit, please visit: http://www.valuesvotersummit.org/.
To watch the livestream of the event, see:https://www.valuesvotersummit.org/video.
-30-
