Yesterday evening, the House passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2019, an opening salvo in the incoming Congress’s effort to end the partial government shutdown, which has been effect since the weekend before Christmas.
Despite the fact that the funding process has already been held up over political disagreements, in part having to do with contention over building and reinforcing a wall at the southern border, the Democratic representatives now controlling the House added further controversy to the process by slipping a pro-abortion provision into their draft spending bill.
The legislation would repeal the Trump administration’s Mexico City policy, which prevents taxpayer dollars from being used to fund the promotion or provision of abortion overseas. The policy has been in place under every Republican presidential administration since Ronald Reagan, withholding federal money from non-governmental organizations that encourage or enable the provision of abortion in countries that receive U.S. aid.
Pro-life groups such as Susan B. Anthony List and Live Action have issued statements condemning the spending bill over this stipulation. “The American people have repeatedly voiced their opposition to taxpayer-funded abortion and President Trump honored their will by taking immediate action to stop U.S. exportation of abortion around the world on taxpayers’ dime,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA List.
The decision to include this pro-abortion poison pill is a transparent attempt by the new, emboldened Democratic House to push back against the pro-life progress during the first two years of the Trump administration. The provision will almost certainly not make it into the final spending bill.