Washington D.C., Nov 22, 2019 / 12:19 pm
A group of pro-life leaders, including the US bishops' pro-life chair, wrote Thursday to President Donald Trump urging him to tell Congress that an amendment funding overseas abortion providers is unacceptable.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) inserted an amendment to the State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs appropriations bill that would increase family planning funding that could go to abortion promoters, would reinstate funding of the UN's Population Fund, and would provide a mechanism to enforce an Obama-era non-discrimination rule that could essentially "blacklist" pro-life groups from being eligible for U.S. foreign assistance.
Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas and 17 other pro-life leaders wrote to Trump Nov. 21 saying, "We strongly urge you to communicate to Congress that the Shaheen amendment is a poison pill that violates the Budget Agreement, and that you will oppose it as part of any final appropriations package."
The amendment "must be removed before final passage of the SFOPS bill," they said.