Politics

GOP Lawmakers Say Biden’s Pro-Abortion Policies Are ‘Waging A Culture War’ That Will Only ‘Deepen Divides’

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• Republican lawmakers criticized President Joe Biden Thursday for swiftly enacting pro-abortion policy that will allow taxpayer dollars to fund abortions abroad.
• “These pro-abortion executive orders from President Biden shock the conscience. Our government shouldn’t be funding abortions at home, let alone overseas,” Republican Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse said in a statement.
• “Unity is important at times like these, but waging a culture war is only going to deepen divides and hurt innocent victims,” the senator added. 
• Democratic lawmakers praised the end of the Mexico City Policy, also known as the global gag rule, as “a great step for reproductive rights.”

Republican lawmakers criticized President Joe Biden Thursday for swiftly enacting a pro-abortion policy that will allow taxpayer dollars to fund abortions abroad.

“He claims his foreign policy is about ‘championing America’s values and human rights,’ but there is nothing more hostile to America’s values and human rights than killing innocent children,” Republican Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton said in a statement.

In a presidential memorandum released Thursday, the new president announced that he will “immediately” rescind the so-called Mexico City Policy which restricts federal funds from going to foreign abortion programs.

“These pro-abortion executive orders from President Biden shock the conscience. Our government shouldn’t be funding abortions at home, let alone overseas,” Republican Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse said in a statement. “Unity is important at times like these, but waging a culture war is only going to deepen divides and hurt innocent victims.”

“Human dignity matters,” Sasse said. “President Biden should rethink this move.”

Republican Indiana Rep. Jim Banks told the Daily Caller News Foundation that “it’s safe to say Joe Biden will become the most pro-abortion president of my lifetime.”

“Part of his pro-abortion agenda will be forcing U.S. taxpayers to once again fund abortions in foreign countries — a decision which inadvertently helps fund the Chinese Communist Party’s genocide against the Uighur population in China,” Banks said. “Reversing this important pro-life policy is irresponsible and wrong.”

Republican Montana Sen. Steve Daines also condemned Biden’s decision, saying it shows “a complete lack of respect for the sanctity of human life.”

“These actions will enrich Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry at the taxpayers’ expense, while endangering the most vulnerable,” Daines said. “The United States should not be promoting a radical abortion agenda throughout the world, we should be leading the fight to protect the unborn and all life.”

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey accused Biden of “putting politics before people,” through the move, “especially the unborn who are the least able to defend themselves.”

“Our nation’s scarce tax dollars should never fund abortion,” Morrisey said. “American aid to international nonprofits should uphold health and human rights, and above all protect the sanctity of life. Our office will remain vigilant in the face of federal overreach by the Biden administration, and we will take action whenever appropriate.”

By reversing the Mexico City policy (first enacted by Reagan), Biden is not only forcing taxpayers to fund abortions in foreign countries, he’s aiding and abetting the #CCP as they commit genocide against the #Uighurs.

Read @freebeacon for more info:https://t.co/A1fJXpsjJL

— Jim Banks (@RepJimBanks) January 28, 2021

Democratic lawmakers conversely praised Biden’s announcement.

“Thank you, @POTUS Joe Biden, for saving lives and boosting the health of women in our country and around the world with today’s executive action,” tweeted Democratic Florida Rep. Lois Frankel. “For women to reach their potential and dreams we must have access to full reproductive health care including safe, legal abortion.”

Democratic Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono praised the reversal of the Mexico City policy, also known as the global gag rule, as “a great step for reproductive rights.”

“President Biden will put an end to the global gag rule, which has jeopardized women’s access to health care around the world,” she tweeted Thursday. “It’s time to roll back this cruel Trump-era policy.”

Across the country and around the world, people – particularly women – have been denied access to crucial reproductive health care. That’s why @POTUS is issuing a Presidential Memorandum to protect reproductive health and rights at home and abroad.

— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) January 28, 2021

“Last year, I urged the previous administration to end the global gag rule — a dangerous policy that restricts vital health programs around the world,” tweeted Democratic Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet. “I applaud @POTUS for overturning this rule, and protecting access to reproductive health care around the world.”

Republicans sent a letter Tuesday to congressional leaders pledging to oppose any legislation eliminating or weakening the Hyde Amendment, which bans the use of federal funds for abortions in the U.S. Biden has promised repeatedly to repeal the amendment.