Trump Signs Executive Order Limiting Taxpayer Funds for Abortion

Shortly after addressing last Friday’s March for Life via video, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order enforcing the Hyde Amendment and a presidential memorandum reinstating the Mexico City Policy, both of which limit taxpayer funding for abortion.
The Hyde Amendment was passed in 1976, forbidding any federal funding for abortion. It was later amended to include exceptions to save the life of the mother and to allow for cases of incest and rape.
The Mexico City policy prohibits funds from federal departments going to organizations or programs that perform or promote abortions. The policy was first enacted by in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan.
In his video address last Friday, the President thanked marchers “for turning out once again to show your extraordinary love and compassion for the unborn.”
He added, “To all of the very special people marching today in this bitter cold, I know your hearts are warm and your spirits are strong because your mission is just very, very pure: to forge a society that welcomes and protects every child as a beautiful gift from the hand of our Creator.”
The executive order Enforcing the Hyde Amendment states, “For nearly five decades, the Congress has annually enacted the Hyde Amendment and similar laws that prevent Federal funding of elective abortion, reflecting a longstanding consensus that American taxpayers should not be forced to pay for that practice.”
It explains that the previous administration “disregarded this established, commonsense policy by embedding forced taxpayer funding of elective abortions in a wide variety of Federal programs.” The order revoked Biden administration executive orders that violated the Hyde Amendment.
Then, the executive order says, “It is the policy of the United States, consistent with the Hyde Amendment, to end the forced use of Federal taxpayer dollars to fund or promote elective abortion.”
The executive memorandum reinstating the Mexico City policy states:
I direct the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to the extent allowable by law, to implement a plan to extend the requirements of the reinstated Memorandum to global health assistance furnished by all departments or agencies.
I further direct the Secretary of State to take all necessary actions, to the extent permitted by law, to ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars do not fund organizations or programs that support or participate in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization.
A White House fact sheet about the executive order and the memorandum explained the significance of these two policies, saying, “Federal overreach and taxpayer dollars will no longer force violations of faith and conscience or impede the ability of states to determine life policies through a vote of the people.”
Pro-life groups praised the president’s actions. Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Erin Hawley said in a press release:
Every innocent life deserves to be protected. Ensuring that taxpayer dollars don’t pay for abortions has saved lives, and it’s a policy that continues to receive bipartisan support from a majority of Americans. Government-compelled participation in abortion has no place in our country. American taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to fund abortions or to export and promote them abroad.
Religious freedom legal advocacy group Liberty Counsel also applauded the actions. Founder and Chairman Matt Staver stated, “Through these pro-life executive actions, President Trump is protecting the most vulnerable and returning the federal government to the side of pro-life.”
Every child is made in God’s image and precious. The Daily Citizen is grateful that federal funds will no longer be used to pay for abortions at home or abroad.
Related articles and resources:
House Passes Born-Alive Bill to Protect Babies Who Survive Abortions
New Poll: 67% of Americans Support Limits on Abortion
Trump, Vance, Other Republican Leaders All Speak at March for Life
VP Vance Addresses March for Life: ‘Every Child is a Gift From God’ WATCH: Teens Sing Hymn to Babies Lost From Abortion at Illinois State Capitol
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeff Johnston is a culture and policy analyst for Focus on the Family and a staff writer for the Daily Citizen. He researches, writes and teaches about topics of concern to families such as parental rights, religious freedom, LGBT issues, education and free speech. Johnston has been interviewed by CBS Sunday Morning, The New York Times, Associated Press News, The Christian Post, Rolling Stone and Vice, and is a frequent guest on radio and television outlets. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from San Diego State University with a Bachelors in English and a Teaching Credential. He and his wife have been married 30 years and have three grown sons.
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