The right to life is one of the most sacred rights we have. Last week, our nation marked the 49th anniversary of the fateful day that the Supreme Court made its devastating decision on Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion throughout our country. That decision has resulted in the loss of more than 60 million innocent lives to date. Each and every one of these aborted lives was denied the opportunity to make their unique mark on this world. How many future presidents will we never know? How many doctors and future leaders never had a chance?
As a person of faith, protecting the unborn is something I will never stop fighting for. No matter the politics of the day, I will always stand up for life. I was encouraged when I spoke with over a hundred Missourians who had made the trek to our nation’s capital last week to make their voices heard. So many of them were young, which encouraged me that the fight to protect life will continue across generations.
This year, those trying to protect life are hopeful that the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade will be the last. The Supreme Court has heard a key case, and a decision is expected later this year, that could give states like Missouri new freedoms to protect the unborn.
Knowing that a potential change in law is on the horizon, it becomes even more important for those of us who choose to protect life to remember that a change of hearts, not merely a change of law, must be the goal of the pro-life movement. Abortion is ultimately a question of the heart, a question of recognizing the beauty of each human life.
One person who I think changes a lot of minds is Gianna Jessen, a pro-life advocate that I met in Cuba. Gianna survived her planned abortion and, despite facing uphill battles from that experience, she is now a passionate advocate for the unborn, sharing her personal experience in an effort to affect those hearts. She has told me, “God has a way of making the most miserable things beautiful.”
Because of how strongly I feel about defending the right to life, I have introduced legislation that protects and promotes the sanctity of life. Last Tuesdasy, I was proud to introduce the Child Tax Credit for Pregnant Moms Act. This legislation would make pregnant mothers eligible to claim the child tax credit while their baby is still in the womb. Motherhood isn’t an experience that begins with the birth of a child – mothers begin investing in their children’s health and well-being long before they take their first breath. I believe our tax code should recognize this reality.
Additionally, I’ve authored the No Abortion Bonds Act, a bill that would close a loophole that allows pro-abortion organizations to utilize tax-exempt bonds to finance abortion provider offices and clinics. This is undoubtedly an exploitation of taxpayer dollars in support of abortion.
I am also incredibly proud to be a co-author of a very important bill, the Born Alive Abortion Survivor Protection Act, which would protect babies who survive an abortion procedure by ensuring that the baby receives immediate medical care and is admitted to a hospital. This bill will save the lives of defenseless infants who cannot defend themselves.
For years, there has been bipartisan agreement that whatever one’s views on abortion, taxpayers who disagree with abortion shouldn’t be forced to fund it with their tax dollars. But Joe Biden and radical Washington Democrats have proposed changing this longstanding agreement by trying to remove that provision, known as the ‘Hyde Amendment’ from our annual spending bills. This is unconscionable, and something I will fight against as hard as I possibly can.
