Bowling Green Today

U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and Mike Lee (R-UT) have introduced the Protecting Life in Foreign Assistance Act, a bill aimed at preventing foreign aid from being used to fund or promote abortions overseas. The senators are firm in their belief that taxpayer dollars should not be allocated towards abortion services abroad.

Dr. Rand Paul stated, "No taxpayer dollar should be used to fund abortion overseas. This bill is a step toward reining in foreign spending while also protecting life." Senator Mike Lee echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the value and dignity of every human life, both born and unborn. He stated, "The lives of both an unborn baby and her mother matter; and healthcare should heal, protect, and preserve both their lives. Our laws and use of taxpayer money should reflect that truth."

The legislation seeks to codify and expand the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance (PLGHA) policy, which was introduced by the Trump Administration. This policy prohibits the use of family planning foreign assistance funds for organizations that provide or promote abortions, or advocate for changes to abortion laws in foreign countries. By permanently enacting an expanded version of this policy into law, the bill aims to ensure that all assistance provided to foreign or domestic nonprofits, NGOs, and multilateral organizations is subject to these restrictions.

The necessity of this legislation became apparent when President Biden rescinded the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy in 2021. Without this policy in place, American citizens could potentially be unintentionally contributing to overseas abortions under the guise of foreign assistance. The senators are calling on Congress to prevent this from happening and to affirm the dignity of unborn human lives worldwide.

Several other senators have cosponsored the Protecting Life in Foreign Assistance Act, including Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Braun (R-IN), Ted Budd (R-NC), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and many others.

To learn more about the Protecting Life in Foreign Assistance Act, you can visit Senator Rand Paul's website.

Source: Senator Rand Paul