U.S. Bishops’ pro-life chairman supports legislation prohibiting taxpayer funding of abortion
February 7, 2023 at 2:18 a.m.
While the 2022 decision to overturn Roe V. Wade, the 1973 landmark ruling that established the constitutional right to abortion, was celebrated by pro-life advocates, additional issues affecting the lives of unborn children and their mothers still need to be addressed.
On that front, New Jersey Congressman Chris Smith, who is co-chair of the congressional Pro-Life Caucus, introduced legislation this month to prohibit the use of federal taxpayer dollars to fund abortions. Smith’s legislation – the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2021 (H.R. 7) – currently has 119 cosponsors.
“When federal taxpayer dollars are precluded from funding abortion, lives are saved,” said Rep. Smith, a member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Whiting. “Thanks to the Hyde Amendment, over two million people who would have been aborted instead survived and their mothers benefited from prenatal health care and support.
The Hyde Amendment, first passed in 1976 by the House of Representatives, is a provision preventing the use of federal funds to pay for abortion, except to save the life of the woman, or if the pregnancy arises from incest or rape.
Last week, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, sent a letter to House and Senate sponsors of the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act (H.R.7 and S.62), in support of the legislation.
Expressing gratitude for the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Bishop Burbidge stressed, “Still the federal government’s responsibility to steward funds without conscripting taxpayers to contribute to harming the most vulnerable among us, preborn children, remains. …
[[In-content Ad]]
“Protecting taxpayers from being forced to pay for abortion in violation of their conscience is a principle that has enjoyed historically broad support among Americans, regardless of their otherwise passionately divided views on the topic. It has also been lifesaving,” said Bishop Burbidge in his letter.
Rep. Smith also stressed, “Polling consistently shows that a majority of Americans oppose taxpayer funding of abortion – 6 in 10 according to a Marist poll released just last month,” said Smith. “Another 9 in 10 Americans believe laws can protect both the well-being of a woman and the health of her unborn child.”
Rather than funding abortion, Bishop Burbidge observed, “Congress can better serve the common good by prioritizing policies that comprehensively assist women, children and families in need in ways that will not only encourage childbirth but make it easier to welcome and raise a new child.”
The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, which the USCCB has supported in previous sessions of Congress, would make long-standing prohibitions on federal funding of elective abortion permanent and government-wide, rather than having to depend on various appropriations, which can put these funding protections or other programs for those in need at risk.
Looking at the issue with a wide lens, Rep. Smith said, “Abortion violence must be replaced with compassion and empathy for women and for defenseless unborn baby girls and boys.”
Bishop Burbidge’s full letter is available here.
Additional information and resources on taxpayer funding of abortion are available at the following: https://www.notaxpayerabortion.com/learn and https://www.respectlife.org/no-taxpayer-abortion.
Information for this article was provided by the USCCB and the Office of Congressman Chris Smith.
Related Stories
Friday, November 15, 2024
E-Editions
Events
While the 2022 decision to overturn Roe V. Wade, the 1973 landmark ruling that established the constitutional right to abortion, was celebrated by pro-life advocates, additional issues affecting the lives of unborn children and their mothers still need to be addressed.
On that front, New Jersey Congressman Chris Smith, who is co-chair of the congressional Pro-Life Caucus, introduced legislation this month to prohibit the use of federal taxpayer dollars to fund abortions. Smith’s legislation – the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2021 (H.R. 7) – currently has 119 cosponsors.
“When federal taxpayer dollars are precluded from funding abortion, lives are saved,” said Rep. Smith, a member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Whiting. “Thanks to the Hyde Amendment, over two million people who would have been aborted instead survived and their mothers benefited from prenatal health care and support.
The Hyde Amendment, first passed in 1976 by the House of Representatives, is a provision preventing the use of federal funds to pay for abortion, except to save the life of the woman, or if the pregnancy arises from incest or rape.
Last week, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, sent a letter to House and Senate sponsors of the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act (H.R.7 and S.62), in support of the legislation.
Expressing gratitude for the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Bishop Burbidge stressed, “Still the federal government’s responsibility to steward funds without conscripting taxpayers to contribute to harming the most vulnerable among us, preborn children, remains. …
[[In-content Ad]]
“Protecting taxpayers from being forced to pay for abortion in violation of their conscience is a principle that has enjoyed historically broad support among Americans, regardless of their otherwise passionately divided views on the topic. It has also been lifesaving,” said Bishop Burbidge in his letter.
Rep. Smith also stressed, “Polling consistently shows that a majority of Americans oppose taxpayer funding of abortion – 6 in 10 according to a Marist poll released just last month,” said Smith. “Another 9 in 10 Americans believe laws can protect both the well-being of a woman and the health of her unborn child.”
Rather than funding abortion, Bishop Burbidge observed, “Congress can better serve the common good by prioritizing policies that comprehensively assist women, children and families in need in ways that will not only encourage childbirth but make it easier to welcome and raise a new child.”
The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, which the USCCB has supported in previous sessions of Congress, would make long-standing prohibitions on federal funding of elective abortion permanent and government-wide, rather than having to depend on various appropriations, which can put these funding protections or other programs for those in need at risk.
Looking at the issue with a wide lens, Rep. Smith said, “Abortion violence must be replaced with compassion and empathy for women and for defenseless unborn baby girls and boys.”
Bishop Burbidge’s full letter is available here.
Additional information and resources on taxpayer funding of abortion are available at the following: https://www.notaxpayerabortion.com/learn and https://www.respectlife.org/no-taxpayer-abortion.
Information for this article was provided by the USCCB and the Office of Congressman Chris Smith.