The United States Catholic bishops have come out strongly against efforts by Democrats in Congress to force U.S. taxpayers to fund abortions.
Commenting on House appropriations bills that exclude “longstanding bipartisan policies that prevent taxpayer dollars from being spent on elective abortions,” leaders of the U.S. Bishops’ Conference (USCCB) plead with Congress to rethink plans to strong-arm Americans into financing abortions.
“Three decades-old provisions which were eliminated from these appropriations bills prevent taxpayer funds from being used to pay for abortions in the District of Columbia, through foreign assistance, and for federal employee health plans that cover abortions,” reads a statement posted on the USCCB website this week.
“The U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriations should not eliminate the long-standing, bipartisan provisions that prevent taxpayer funding of abortions,” declare Kansas City Archbishop Joseph Naumann, chairman of the Bishops’ Committee of Pro-Life Activities and Rockford Bishop David Malloy, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace.
The Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) bill that currently excludes the Dornan and Smith Amendments “would force taxpayers to fund abortions in the District of Columbia and within the Federal Employees Health Benefit program,” the bishops note.
Moreover, they continue, removal of the Helms Amendment in the State, Foreign Operations (SFOPs) bill “would force taxpayers to fund abortions throughout the world, running contrary to principles of integral human development.”
“The Appropriations Committee must re-insert these provisions, and retain all life-saving, Hyde-related provisions across the various appropriations bills,” they declare.
The bishops also underscore Americans’ overwhelming resistance to being coerced into funding abortions.
“The prohibition on taxpayer funding of elective abortion is a consensus policy that is supported by a majority of Americans — including low-income women, and women of color,” they observe.
The bishops conclude by calling on the Appropriations Committee and all members of Congress “to protect taxpayers from having to pay for the evil of abortion, and to instead use our tax dollars for the common good and welfare of all.”
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