Meet Susan B. Anthony's List's Government Affairs Team

By Carlyle Gregory

Political Consultant

With the election of President Trump, a GOP majority in the US Senate and a pro-life majority in the House of Representatives, the stakes have never been higher on Capitol Hill for the Pro-Life Movement.

Getting the right people elected, and defeating those who support abortion, is only half the battle. Legislation has to be drafted, argued, debated, amended and finally voted on. To make sure we win the battle of the “Hill” as well as the battle of the ballot box, the SBA List has assembled a Government Affairs Team to fight for human life in Washington.

When Americans hear the word “lobbyist” the image they dredge up is a of a corpulent cigar-smoking, spats-wearing knock off of the top hat-wearing “millionaire” in the Monopoly board game, standing outside the door to the House Chamber handing out hundred dollar bills to passing rows of jelly-spined Congressmen.

There was some truth to that image once, but today’s lobbying is more sophisticated, more nuanced and much more complicated. Now information is power. Government affairs means helping to draft legislative language, assisting with issues research, coalition building, and, yes, letting our representatives know the concerns of their constituents.

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfield famously asserted that you go to war with the army you have. We are lucky that in the war for unborn children, the SBA List “army” is composed of the highest quality pro-life government affairs team in Washington.

Marjorie Dannenfelser. Yes, she’s the president of SBA List, and her portfolio contains many other duties like fundraising, administration and serving as the cheerleader and mother confessor to the SBA List staff, but Marjorie is always in the thick of things on Capitol Hill. Twenty years of working (and founding) the SBA List means that she knows a lot of Congressmen and Senators on a first name basis. Combining her in-depth knowledge of the legislative process and the strength of the organization she heads, Marjorie lends force to our efforts on Capitol Hill. When she calls, they listen.

Marilyn Musgrave is SBA List’s Vice President of Government Affairs. Musgrave was a pro-life hero in the Colorado House and Senate, before graduating to Congress, where she served three terms representing Colorado’s 4 th CD. She knows the “dance of legislation” inside and out and is well-respected on Capitol Hill. Her phone calls get answered.

Billy Valentine is the SBA List’s Vice President of Policy. Billy has run political campaigns and worked on Capitol Hill for pro-life stalwarts like Chris Smith (R-NJ) and former Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS). A dynamo of energy, he gets more done before breakfast than most of us do all day. He blends the politics of the Pro-Life Movement with a canny sense of what is possible on Capitol Hill to score successes for our cause.

The newest addition to the team, Autumn Christensen, is the Director of Policy at SBA List. She has spent over a decade on Capitol Hill working for pro-life members of Congress, and staffed the bipartisan Congressional Pro-life Caucus. She has written pro- life legislation, drafted rules and amendments and worked with pro-life partisans on efforts to save human lives. She knows the legislative system inside and out, and brings a wealth of experience to the SBA List Team.

Eric Schmitz has served as Legislative Director for SBA List since October of 2014. A young man with extensive of legislative experience, he has worked for pro-life legislators both in Maryland and at the federal level, including Congressman Bartlett (R- MD). Eric is a constant presence on Capitol Hill and an expert at bringing SBA’s influence to bear at hearings and mark-up sessions where the real work of the Congress gets done.

Chuck Donovan leads the Charlotte Lozier Institute. Chuck and the Lozier Institute are critical to our success, Chuck served as legislative director the National Right to Life Committee, worked in the Reagan White House, helped lead the Family Research Council for nearly two decades and has been a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation. He has written and co-authored numerous books and papers on family topics and has appeared time and again on the various TV and cable networks. Chuck and the Lozier Institute supply our team -- and the Congress -- with that most valuable commodity, solid reliable information about abortion and its impact on America.

Driven by a strong desire to win the battle to save human lives, SBA List Government Affairs Team is the thin edge of the spear in the life movement’s fight on Capitol Hill.

I hope you enjoyed meeting our Government Affairs team. I am so glad to be able to work alongside them - and YOU - as we fight together for the right to life of precious unborn babies.

For Life,
Mallory Quigley
Director of Communications
Susan B. Anthony List

Website: sba-list.org

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