Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s Principled Decision Prevents Taxpayer Dollars from Being Used to Fund International Abortions

Today, I was excited to see Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announce that the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) are dedicated to making sure that U.S. foreign assistance does not go to organizations that promote or lobby for abortion.

This is a strong and principled step in support of life. 

USAID is dedicated to helping countries and regions that have struggled with genocide, disease, famine and natural disasters. It is not an organization that was developed to subsidize the foreign abortion industry. The announcement made by Secretary Pompeo makes clear that he is expanding the Mexico City Policy by defunding nongovernmental organizations that provide financial assistance to other organizations that perform or promote abortions. He also stated that the Organization of American States, which lobbies to legalize abortions in Central and South American countries, will lose some of its considerable U.S. funding due to its violation of U.S. law that states that funds cannot be used to lobby for or against abortion in foreign countries.

The fight for life is something that doesn’t end at our borders but is rather a policy and ideal that should be championed and enshrined across the globe.

I applaud Secretary Pompeo’s clear and morally-reasoned announcement. He is a man of high character and conviction. We are grateful for his leadership.

The United States has a strong history of helping those in need and protecting life and Secretary Pompeo’s decisions today will help to continue that time-honored tradition by ensuring that U.S. tax payer dollars do not fund abortions abroad.