[Wednesday] night the House of Representatives, on a largely party-line vote, passed legislation repealing Obamacare and defunding Planned Parenthood. It has passed bills to repeal Obamacare and defund Planned Parenthood on several occasions. But in previous years, these bills have died in the Senate.

What is different this time is that the repeal/defund legislation already passed the new Republican Senate under special rules that prevent filibusters. With the House’s approval, both chambers of Congress are now on the record in favor of repealing Obamacare and defunding Planned Parenthood. The bill is now headed to Barack Obama’s desk.

And we all know what happens next. Obama will veto the legislation. Obamacare will remain intact, and your hard-earned tax dollars will continue to flow to the nation’s largest abortion business.

But don’t minimize the usefulness of the vote. Every member of Congress had to vote “yes” or “no.” The president’s veto will clearly signal his priorities. These issues will be hotly debated in the days and weeks ahead and voters will have a clear choice to make about the future direction of the country.

The Left Attacks

[Wednesday] night’s vote no doubt set off alarm bells at Planned Parenthood. The abortion provider is facing numerous investigations for its involvement in harvesting baby body parts, and hundreds of millions of federal dollars are at risk.

So, Planned Parenthood is doing what the left always does — it is going on the attack. Politico reports that the organization is planning to spend $20 million to influence elections “in states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Hampshire, Colorado and Nevada.”

Planned Parenthood also announced that it has hired Matt Burgess, national political director for Everytown for Gun Safety, to direct its 2016 efforts. What irony! Here’s a guy who worked for a group that says it wants to save lives, especially the lives of children. Now he’s going to work for a group that specializes in taking the lives of innocent unborn children.

Graham’s New Crusade

Billy Graham, America’s beloved evangelist, helped to save many souls during his lifetime at massive gatherings he called “crusades.” His son, Reverend Franklin Graham, launched a new crusade this week aimed at saving America.

Franklin Graham made headlines recently when he announced that he had switched his political registration and had become an independent, something many conservatives have done in recent years. But, as we reported and the media ignored, Graham was in no way telling people to abandon the culture war and avoid the political process.

In fact, it was the exact opposite. In the state capital of Iowa this week, Franklin Graham kicked off a series of public rallies that will take him to all 50 states in the weeks and months ahead.

Speaking in Des Moines, Graham decried the condition of our country, spiritually, financially and racially. He lamented that too often “our educators and our politicians and our churches seem … more concerned about political correctness than God’s truth and righteousness.”

Graham denounced the aggressive secularism of the left that “wants to take God out of our society,” adding, “I’m here to say, I’m not going without a fight!”

Then he urged men and women of faith to redouble their efforts to be active and engaged voters. “Be willing this next election to vote,” Graham said. “Don’t tell me your vote doesn’t count,” he continued, citing several close races. “If every one of you votes, you go back and get your family to vote, get your church to vote.”

Graham then challenged his audience to pray for the country, to make sure they were registered to vote and to encourage others in their community to do the same.

I couldn’t agree more with Reverend Graham’s assessment of our nation and his recommended solution. I join him in urging those who cherish the values of faith and family to get off the sidelines and get organized!

The hour is late if we are going to save this “shining city upon a hill.”