United States Congress (Left), Adobe Stock (Right)
CV NEWS FEED // Prominent pro-life Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) has expressed serious concern over reports that the Biden Administration is pressuring Sierra Leone to legalize abortion by threatening to withhold foreign aid.
In a statement issued Dec. 16, Smith described the reported U.S. involvement as “deeply disturbing” and criticized what he called “pro-abortion bullying tactics” against the pro-life west African country.
“Let me be clear, abortion is not health care, nor is it an internationally recognized human ‘right,’” Smith said in the news release.
Smith, who serves as Chair of the House Global Health and Global Human Rights Subcommittee, referred specifically to the “Safe Motherhood Act” bill in Sierra Leone that, if passed, would legalize abortion in the country where unborn life is currently protected.
“The Biden Administration’s pro-abortion bullying tactics and raw attempt at ideological colonialism is unacceptable,” Smith said. “Abortion always ends the life of the unborn baby and harms the mother. Pro-life countries should be celebrated and respected for protecting unborn children and their mothers — not penalized by a pro-abortion lame duck Biden Administration.”
Smith, a longtime pro-life advocate in Congress, has been a leading voice for protecting the unborn in U.S. foreign aid and policy. He is also a prominent leader in the fight against human trafficking and child slavery.
The New Jersey congressman signaled his intent to work with the incoming Trump Administration to conduct a full review of U.S. agencies, such as USAID and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, to investigate any potential misuse of U.S. funding. He indicated this review would determine whether U.S. staff violated laws by pressuring countries to adopt pro-abortion policies.
“Forcing a pro-abortion and woke agenda on financially vulnerable and democratic sovereign nations harms both the U.S. and our allies and is bad diplomacy,” he concluded. “It must end.”
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