Senate Republicans Mark Kirk, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski joined Democrats to advance a repeal of what is called the “global gag rule” that bars U.S. funding of organizations that provide abortions overseas as part of their “humanitarian” services.
Though the Republican Party claims to be the “pro-life” party, Politico reports Kirk, Collins, and Murkowski slithered up to pro-abortion Democrats to approve an amendment to the State Department appropriations bill that would permanently lift the restriction on funding organizations that provide abortions – one that President Ronald Reagan’s administration put in place.
While pro-abortion President Obama has suspended the “gag rule” via executive order, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s amendment to the fiscal year 2016 State Department spending bill would permanently repeal it, thus allowing U.S. financial aid to organizations that perform abortions, even though technically the U.S. would still refrain from direct funding of abortions.
The manipulation here is similar to that of the HHS Mandate “accommodation” shell game offered to religious groups whose faith beliefs prohibit them from providing contraception and abortion-inducing drugs to employees in health insurance plans, as mandated by Obamacare. The Obama administration said it would “accommodate” their objections by forcing the insurance providers of the religious groups to pay for the services to which they object. In the end, the faith organizations are still providing contraceptives and abortion-inducing drugs in their health plans, even though they are not writing a check out to pay for such services directly.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who chairs the spending panel that oversees the bill, disagreed with Shaheen’s amendment that would increase funding for the UN Population Fund.
“[We won’t] put taxpayer dollars in an area where most Americans don’t want it to go,” he said.
“We have this debate every year,” he added. “I oppose this amendment. The House will not accept it. This bill restricts funding for the United Nations Population Fund, which has been implicated in supporting forced abortions and sterilization in China. This [amendment] would undo that.”
Kirk’s further bonding with the left is likely due to his political vulnerability, since he faces a significant challenge against Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) to keep his Senate seat.
He announced on his website regarding his support of the amendment, “These family planning and reproductive health services save the lives of women and children around the world. Healthy women and families are key to more stable communities.”
Kirk states the amendment will restore “more than $600 million in funding for international family planning and reproductive health services, including $35 million for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).”
“The amendment also repealed the ‘global gag rule,’ which prohibits recipients of U.S. aid from providing family planning and maternal health services,” he adds.
Collins, whose theme, according to centralmaine.com, is “It takes moderation and bipartisanship to achieve progress,” blames the “incivility” in Washington on the Internet, cable and radio shows that “will invite only those who will inflame the debate.”
Collins announced on her website that she has voted to “empower women across the globe.”
The Maine senator also touts that, at her request, the State Department funding bill “includes $1.7 billion for gender programs and combating gender-based violence.”
Presidential contender Bobby Jindal targeted fellow Republicans who refuse to stand for the sanctity of human life at his keynote address at the National Right to Life convention in New Orleans Thursday evening.
“The Republican smart guys in Washington see cultural issues such as protecting life as a side issue and a distraction,” Jindal plans to say. “They urge us to minimize discussions of such things that they fear will alienate voters.”
Referring to Republicans of this mind-set as “spineless,” Jindal will assert, “Hear me on this – we will not hide our lamp under a bushel. If the Republican Party cannot make defending the defenseless into a winning issue, they should just close up shop.”
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