October 6, 2015 9:56 AM

Three anti-abortion groups call Chairman Cook a champion for life

Texans for Life, Texas Alliance for Life, and The Heidi Group all point specifically to Rep. Byron Cook's role in passing HB 2

Three major anti-abortion groups issued a joint statement about House State Affairs Committee Chairman Byron Cook, arguing that the pro-life movement owes him a debt of gratitude. Few lawmakers “are more deserving than House State Affairs Committee Chair Byron Cook,” the groups wrote.

The statement was signed by Kyleen Wright of Texans for Life, Carol Everett of The Heidi Group, and Joe Pojman of Texas Alliance for Life. The groups said Cook was instrumental in the passage of House Bill 2, the package of controversial and sweeping abortion regulations that have been called the most restrictive in the United States.

“More than 3400 opponents registered to testify against it, hoping to overwhelm the process through gross numbers,” they said. “Chairman Cook, the State Affairs Committee, and his small staff skillfully processed the unprecedented numbers of witnesses, without error. Each witness and the attending data provided multiple opportunities for error, any of which would have been fatal points of error.”

“To anyone familiar with the committee process, Chairman Cook’s dedication to passing the pro-life bill was more than evident,” the groups said. “His humility sets him apart as most of his tireless pro-life efforts are behind the scenes rather than in the spotlight.”

The entire statement is here.