On January 27, tens/hundreds of thousands of pro-life Americans descended on the nation’s capital for the March for Life. The crowds celebrated the recent electoral successes that have given the pro-life cause the greatest opportunity to protect life in U.S. history. As a sign of the times, the march featured the highest ranking elected official ever to address the crowd in 44 years of marching, Vice President Mike Pence, who called the march “a historic moment in the cause of life.” “Today, because of you,” Pence declared, “life is winning again in America.”
In the week before the crowds had gathered, the new Trump administration had already taken steps to protect unborn life. President Trump lost no time in reestablishing the Mexico City Policy (previously rescinded by President Obama), which stops U.S. aid to organizations providing or promoting abortion outside the United States. Trump’s executive order further extended the policy to apply to “global health assistance furnished by all departments or agencies.” This was seen as an important sign that the new administration is serious about removing federal funding of abortion in all forms.
Not to be outdone by the new president, the pro-life majority in the House of Representatives passed HR 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2017. HR 7 would codify the principles of the long-standing Hyde Amendment on a permanent, government-wide basis, applicable to both longstanding federal health programs and to the new programs created by Obamacare. During the Obama administration, many attempts were made to circumvent the popular ban on using tax dollars for abortions. This included provisions of the Obamacare law which authorized massive federal tax subsidies to assist many millions of Americans to purchase private health care plans that cover abortion on demand.
The Trump administration has also appointed some pro-life heroes to powerful positions:
* South Carolina Governor Niki Haley will bring a pro-life passion to her job as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
* At the time of this writing, Senator Jeff Sessions is still waiting for Senate confirmation to become U.S. Attorney General. If confirmed, Sessions would head the Justice Department, making him responsible for enforcing pro-life laws.
* Congressman Tom Price is awaiting confirmation to be the new Secretary for Health and Human Services. This position has great influence over policies related to abortion and conscience rights.
These appointments and policy changes are a good start. It’s up to the pro-life movement to keep our newly elected representatives and president accountable to make this the generation that ends abortion.
Vice President Pence delivered this charge to the pro-life movement: “I believe we will continue to win the hearts and the minds of the rising generation if our hearts first break for young mothers and their unborn children and if each of us do all we can to meet them where they are, with generosity, not judgment. Compassion is overcoming convenience and hope is defeating despair!” Pence reminded the massive crowd that, “To heal out land and restore a culture of life, we must continue to be a movement that embraces all, cares for all, and shows respect for the dignity and worth of every person!”
