An annual march against abortion will proceed as planned Wednesday in Washington, D.C. despite accumulating snow across the region, organizers said.
The 41st March for Life is expected to draw thousands of demonstrators to walk from the National Mall to the Supreme Court amid below-freezing temperatures.
The event has been described as the largest rally against abortion in the world. Several hundred thousand people attended the event in 2013.
Speakers generally include members of Congress. This year, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) will address the crowd along with Reps. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.), Chris Smith (D-N.J.) and Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.).
Organizers said in a statement that the march’s 2014 theme will be adoption as an alternative to abortion. James Dobson, founder of evangelical group Focus on the Family, will also speak.
The event coincides with a growing debate among Republicans about how much to emphasize the abortion issue in the 2014 midterm elections.
Many strategists argue that the GOP ought to stick with less divisive topics as it seeks to gain control of the Senate.
A conservative faction of the Republican National Committee, meanwhile, is reportedly preparing to introduce a resolution that would urge GOP candidates to “reject a strategy of silence” on abortion in their races.
What the party hopes to avoid is a repeat of 2012, when two Republican Senate candidates were felled by their controversial comments about rape and pregnancy.
Federal bills to curb abortion rights could also be a topic at Wednesday’s march.
Last week, the House Judiciary Committee approved a bill by Smith to deny certain tax benefits to health plans that cover abortion.
