LifeNews.com is reporting that a handful of “pro-life” legislators in the House – Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC), Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA) and Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) - complained that the bill lacked an adequate rape exception and got enough lawmakers to side with them to force a delay in a vote that was supposed to take place today.

“I prefer that we avoid these very contentious social issues,” Dent told National Journal. “Week one, we had a speaker election that did not go as well as a lot of us would have liked. Week two, we got into a big fight over deporting children, something that a lot of us didn’t want to have a discussion about. Week three, we are now talking about rape and incest and reportable rapes and incest for minors. … I just can’t wait for week four.”

The bill will now have to be reworked before it can pass.

Rep. Ellmers is taking most of the blame for the delay. As North Carolina Right to Life president Barbara Holt told Life News, this was hardly the kind of behavior she expected from a so-called pro-life legislator who is representing her state.

“At the same time that Ms. Ellmers was stating on her Facebook page and in the news media that she would vote for the bill on Jan. 22, she worked behind the scenes to make sure she would not have to vote on the bill,” she told LifeNews.com. “Pro-lifers have Renee Ellmers to blame for the vote not taking place to protecting thousands of pain-capable unborn children. She has betrayed the pro-life people of this state and country. North Carolina Right to Life and pro-lifers will not forget what Renee Ellmers has done.”

House leadership has decided to hold a vote on another pro-life bill, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, H.R. 7. This bill will codify into law the prohibitions against the use of taxpayer funding for abortions that are set forth in the Hyde Amendment. It will also provide conscience protection. It was originally introduced last year but because it had no chance of passing in the Democratic-controlled Congress, the bill was shelved. It is fully expected to pass this time around.

Meanwhile, pro-life leaders are expressing their disappointment but still hoping for an eventual good outcome.

“While we are disappointed that the House will not be voting on the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act today, we are pleased that the House is moving forward to stop taxpayer funding of abortion,” says Marjorie Dannenfelser, President of Susan B. Anthony List, along with Jeanne Monahan, President of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund, and Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee.

“The results of the 2014 midterm elections made clear that this Congress has been given a direct mandate to protect unborn children and their mothers from late term abortion, stop taxpayer funding of abortion, and defend conscience rights. There are no issues more urgent for the American people who brought the 114th Congress into being and we look forward to a strong and unprecedented sequence of actions for life.”

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins is also disappointed in the vote delay, but happy to see the issue of taxpayer funding for abortion being addressed.

"Americans have been forced to violate their conscience and religious convictions long enough by being made to fund President Obama's massive abortion scheme. It is appropriate that this new Republican controlled Congress make the No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act one of their first majority initiatives.”

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