Bowling Green Today

Sens. Rand Paul and Mike Lee have introduced the Protecting Life in Foreign Assistance Act to prevent taxpayer dollars from funding or promoting abortions overseas. Dr. Paul emphasized, "No taxpayer dollar should be used to fund abortion overseas," while Senator Lee highlighted the importance of valuing the dignity and worth of every human life, born and unborn. According to Senator Lee, healthcare should aim to protect and preserve the lives of both the unborn baby and the mother.

The legislation aims to build on the Mexico City Policy, which was first implemented by President Ronald Reagan in 1984 to restrict family planning foreign assistance funds from going to organizations that support or advocate for abortions abroad. The bill seeks to permanently establish an expanded version of this policy, known as the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance, into law, encompassing all forms of assistance provided to foreign or domestic nonprofits, NGOs, and multilateral organizations.

With the recent rescindment of the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy by President Biden in 2021, the senators are calling for the reinforcement of measures to ensure that American citizens are not inadvertently involved in supporting overseas abortions through foreign aid. They argue that upholding the dignity of unborn human lives is crucial and can potentially save numerous lives worldwide.

In addition to Senators Paul and Lee, several other lawmakers have co-sponsored the legislation, including Sens. Marsha Blackburn, Mike Braun, and Marco Rubio, among others.

The Protecting Life in Foreign Assistance Act is a significant step towards reinforcing measures to prevent funding for abortions overseas and affirming the sanctity of life on a global scale.