Pro-life former congressman: Catholics in politics need to be ‘different’

0
23
pro-life-former-congressman:-catholics-in-politics-need-to-be-‘different’

During Biden’s first 100 days in office, he began by issuing a statement in support of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide; Biden made the statement on Jan. 22, the 48th anniversary of Roe.

Several days later, the president repealed the Mexico City Policy, allowing for U.S. global health assistance to go to pro-abortion groups.

Under Biden’s presidency, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is in the process of repealing rules to allowg abortion providers to receive Title X family planning funding. The administration’s proposal would also require that Title X funding recipients to provide abortion counseling upon request.

Furthermore, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is rolling back regulations of the abortion pill regimen, allowing for it to be prescribed and dispensed remotely during the pandemic.

Biden’s record on abortion “is what we expected,” Lipinski said on Thursday. “It’s not surprising, but it’s disappointing, nonetheless.”

Biden has also pledged to repeal the Hyde Amendment, allowing for taxpayer-funded abortion. The decades-old policy – which bars funding of elective abortions in congressional appropriations – was not included in the recent American Rescue Plan, a nearly-$2 trillion COVID relief bill that Biden signed into law.

Some House Democrats are pushing for Biden’s budget request to Congress to not include the Hyde Amendment, giving the green light for Congress to not include the policy in appropriations bills for the 2022 fiscal year.

“We need to save the Hyde Amendment,” Lipinski said, adding that he is encouraging Catholics to contact their member of Congress in support of the policy.

If Congress passes funding bills without the policy included, “I’m hoping that it doesn’t even get to the President’s desk,” he said; if it does, he said he hopes that BIden has “second thoughts” and vetoes the legislation.

Biden has also pledged to sign the Equality Act, legislation which passed the House and is currently in the Senate. The bill would make sexual orientation and gender identity protected legal classes in federal civil rights law.

Critics of the legislation, including the U.S. bishops’ conference, say it would codify transgender ideology in law, threaten the privacy of women, and force many people and organizations to support same-sex marriage and transgender ideology against their consciences.

Lipinski did vote for a version of the Equality Act in 2019, saying at the time that he opposed discrimination and would work to resolve religious freedom concerns in the legislation.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

At Catholic News Agency, our team is committed to reporting the truth with courage, integrity, and fidelity to our faith. We provide news about the Church and the world, as seen through the teachings of the Catholic Church. When you subscribe to the CNA UPDATE, we’ll send you a daily email with links to the news you need and, occasionally, breaking news.

As part of this free service you may receive occasional offers from us at EWTN News and EWTN. We won’t rent or sell your information, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

He did offer some praise for President Biden’s rhetoric in office, pointing to Biden’s address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday.

“I have some hope there, because this is something that Republicans have been talking about, and I’m glad to see that. We need to do more to help families with children,” he said of Biden’s promoting the American Families Policy during the address. Biden’s $1.8 trillion proposal includes investments in a comprehensive paid leave program and child care, and an expansion of the child tax credit.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here