It is critical that the Energy and Commerce Committee reflect the values of the pro-life American majority that sent a freshman class to Congress with marching orders to end all federal funding of abortion.

That’s why it is absolutely crucial that Rep. Joe Pitts — champion in the fight against abortion in health care and many other pro-life battles — is named chairman of its Subcommittee on Health.

This gateway committee has jurisdiction over life and death policies affecting unborn children.

A Subcommittee on Health chaired by Rep. Joe Pitts is a must-send message from GOP House leadership to pro-life America, especially given its reported preference of Rep. Fred Upton — who has a mixed record on protecting life — as full committee chairman. In pursuing a strategy of defending the unborn, Upton is far short of the ideal. But to fail to name Pitts and equally strong pro-lifers to other relevant subcommittee chairs would be a strategic disaster for pro-life goals.

Rep. Joe Pitts must be appointed as chairman of the Health Subcommittee to help ensure the promise made by GOP leadership in its “Pledge to America” to end taxpayer funding of abortion is met.