California Gov. Gavin Newsom Wants $20 Million to Turn Med Students Into Abortionists

State   |   Micaiah Bilger   |   Feb 9, 2022   |   4:24PM   |   Sacramento, California

California Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to spend $20 million of state taxpayers’ money to encourage medical students to become abortionists.

The money budgeted for abortion training scholarships and student loan repayments is part of the Democrat governor’s plan to make California a “sanctuary” state for abortions, according to the National Catholic Register.

Newsom has been working directly with the abortion industry on ways to expand abortions in anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade later this year. One of these plans includes “bribing” medical students to become abortionists.

In his proposed 2022-2023 budget, released in January, the governor included $20 million for scholarships and loan repayments “to support California’s clinical infrastructure of reproductive health care services.”

Pro-abortion leaders quickly praised the governor for his plan.

“This budget proposal provides flexibility and opportunity for increasing access to abortion,” Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California CEO Jodi Hicks said in January. “We look forward to continuing our work with Governor Newsom and the legislative leaders throughout the budget process to develop the details that will ultimately increase access to and affordability of abortion care.”

But Californians for Life described the funding as a “bribe” to prop up the already rich abortion industry.

“Governor Newsom plans to bribe California medical students to become abortionists by offering to pay off their student loan debts and give them scholarships,” the pro-life organization wrote in an email to supporters. “Yet, our exhausted front-line nurses and doctors who have been saving lives from Covid are not receiving this assistance for their heroic efforts.”

The governor’s plan also could force California medical students to be trained to abort unborn babies even if the students oppose abortion, the organization continued.

“These are not ‘pro-choice’ efforts, only pro-abortion,” Californians for Life said.

TAKE ACTION: To oppose this pro-abortion funding, Contact the California state lawmakers

Newsom’s budget also includes an additional $20 million to help abortion facilities “enhance security” and “secure their physical and information technology infrastructure,” according to the budget summary.

Kathleen Buckley Domingo, executive director of the California Catholic Conference, said the money would be much better spent on actually helping women in need, according to the Register.

“In a state as diverse as California, with a budget surplus of $31 billion, why aren’t we exploring options that genuinely empower women, instead of encouraging the ‘quick fix’ of abortion, which does nothing to solve underlying concerns?” Domingo said, pointing to problems with housing, childcare, domestic violence and employment opportunities.

Newsom recently said he wants California to be a “sanctuary” for women from other states who want abortions. If Roe goes, researchers predict as many as 26 states would protect unborn babies by banning abortions.

Last year, Newsom created the California Future of Abortion Council with Planned Parenthood and other pro-abortion groups to recommend ways California can expand the killing of unborn babies in abortions. Its recommendations include “loan repayments” and training to encourage more people to become abortionists.

Another proposal would force taxpayers to pay for abortions and travel costs for women coming from out of state to abort their unborn babies. California already forces taxpayers to pay for abortions for its low-income residents.

California abortion facilities reported 132,680 abortions in 2017, the latest available data, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

TAKE ACTION: To oppose this pro-abortion funding, Contact the California state lawmakers