Catholic Senators Blasted for Backing Tax-Funded International Abortions

International   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Sep 24, 2007   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Catholic Senators Blasted for Backing Tax-Funded International Abortions Email this article
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
September 24,
2007

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — A group of sixteen Catholic senators is under fire for voting to make taxpayers fund groups that perform and promote abortions in other countries. While opposing the views of their church on abortion is one concern, Rev. Thomas Euteneuer says making Americans promote abortion is quite another.

Two weeks ago, as LifeNews.com previously reported, the Senate voted 53-41 to overturn a policy President Bush instituted on his first day in office in 2001 that protects taxpayers from funding international abortions.

A contingent of Catholic senators were among the 53 voting for the pro-abortion amendment — a group Euteneuer, the head of Human Life International, calls the "gang of 16."

"For the most part it’s the usual suspects who claim to be Catholic while their consistent pro-abortion votes amount to a betrayal of the Catholic faith," he told LifeNews.com, saying he expected them to vote to promote abortion.

"At a time when these same politicians bewail America’s standing in the world they vote to export death to nations that don’t want it, in violation of those nations’ religious traditions. They are the new ‘ugly Americans’ practicing imperialism at its worst," Father Euteneuer said.

Euteneuer singled out Pennsylvania senator Bob Casey, who he said did a disservice to his late father’s pro-life advocacy by voting to promote abortion in other nations.

"The great disappointment here is Robert Casey, Jr., whose late father courageously stood against the tide for life in his political party," he said. "It is disgusting to think that Casey Junior ran as a ‘pro-life’ candidate. He has betrayed those who voted for him on those grounds."

The group of Catholic senators voting to fund international abortions includes Robert Casey, Jr. (D-PA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ted Kennedy (D-MA), John Kerry (D-MA), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Susan Collins (R-ME), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Ken Salazar (D-CO), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Claire McCaskill (D-MO).

President Bush has already promised he would veto the bill if it nullified his abortion policy.

Deirdre McQuade, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, told LifeNews.com she appreciated the president’s willingness to veto the bill over the provision to fund abortions.

“We are very grateful to the President for his commitment to these basic, long-standing policies protecting both mother and child," she said. "We hope and expect that, due to his pledge and the pledge by many members of Congress to uphold such a veto, the Mexico City Policy will be preserved in law this year.”

President Reagan first instituted the Mexico City Policy during his administration and has continued through the administrations of other Republican presidents. President Clinton rescinded the policy during his eight years in office.

ACTION: Click here to see how your senator voted on the Boxer amendment. Then, call 202-224-3121 to express your opinion or find contact info at https://www.Senate.gov.