Texas Republicans criticized Citigroup this week for trying to thwart state efforts to protect unborn babies by paying its employees to travel out of state for abortions, saying the new incentive pushes a “culture of death.”
Starting this year, the $1.7 trillion-dollar company plans to pay its employees’ travel costs to get an abortion, including airfare, lodging and other expenses, Axios reports.
The news quickly prompted outrage among pro-life leaders and Texas Republicans.
Speaking with Bloomberg News, George P. Bush, who is running for Texas attorney general, slammed Citigroup for promoting a “culture of death.”
“The ‘travel benefits’ offered by Citigroup is nothing more than a PR stunt by a ‘woke’ company to support a culture of death,” Bush said. “Texas is a pro-life state, and if elected attorney general, I will hold actors who attempt to find loopholes in our laws accountable.”
The Texas Republican Party chairman also criticized the bank for promoting “far-left causes” that are hostile to American families and values.
“Citigroup’s decision to finance the murder of unborn children with a heartbeat is appalling, but not surprising, considering its past adoption of far-left causes,” Matt Rinaldi told Bloomberg. He also asked Texans to “avoid entrusting their finances with Citibank and other companies that are hostile to them and their values.”
The bank revealed its new plan earlier this week in a report ahead of its shareholders’ meetings in April, according to Axios.
“In response to changes in reproductive healthcare laws in certain states in the U.S., beginning in 2022 we provide travel benefits to facilitate access to adequate resources,” the company report states.
ACTION ALERT: Contact Citgroup with your complaints by going here.
Former Citigroup executive Davia Temin praised the plan, saying it “puts their female employees first, over the political wrangling of the day.”
But pro-life women leaders criticized the company for ignoring the true needs of its female employees.
“Citi bank is offering to pay the costs of any U.S. employee who has to travel out of state to get an abortion? Imagine if, instead, it offered to cover the medical costs of birth… or baby supplies… or daycare…” Catholic News Agency writer Katie Yoder responded on Twitter.
Susan B. Anthony List told the bank that forward-thinking companies empower working moms, they don’t pay them to kill their own children.
“How poorly you think of working moms. Shame on you,” the pro-life organization told Citigroup.
The news comes after Apple announced a similar plan last fall in response to the Texas heartbeat law, which has saved thousands of unborn babies’ lives since September. The law bans abortions after an unborn baby’s heartbeat is detectable, about six weeks of pregnancy.
Other companies, including Uber, GoDaddy, Match and Tinder, Stitch Fix, Patagonia and Seventh Generation, also have criticized Texas for working to save babies from abortion.
Meanwhile, pro-life advocates are striving to expand resources to help pregnant and parenting mothers. Along with passing the heartbeat law last year, Texas state lawmakers also increased support for pregnant and parenting mothers and babies, ensuring that they have resources to choose life. Other pro-life advocates across the U.S. also are working to expand support services for families in need through pregnancy centers, maternity homes, and even a program to help pregnant and parenting mothers in prison.
ACTION ALERT: Contact Citgroup with your complaints by going here.
