Taxpayer Funded Abortions for Illegal Immigrants Prohibited by New Sen. Marshall Bill

(Washington, D.C., August 17, 2022) – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. has recently introduced the No Taxpayer Funds for Illegal Alien Abortions Act to prohibit any employee or contractor with U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) or the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) from transporting any illegal immigrant across state lines for the purpose of procuring an abortion.

“No American’s tax dollars should pay for any illegal alien’s abortion, just like they should not pay for any American citizen’s abortion. Deportations are the only form of government-funded travel ICE should be providing to illegal immigrants. Additionally, with a major strain on resources and manpower on the southern border, we should be prioritizing activities performed by ICE and HHS that keep Americans safe,” said Senator Marshall. “We’ve seen President Biden and his cabinet secretaries repeatedly abuse their power to enact a radical agenda that is failing the American people. The deterioration of our country will not stop unless Congress acts to put a check on this far left administration”

Joining Senator Marshall’s legislation as original cosponsors are Senators Marsha Blackburn (TN), Mike Braun (IN), Steve Daines (MT), Cindy Hyde-Smith (MS), James Inhofe (OK), James Lankford (OK), Mike Lee (UT), Rick Scott (FL), and Roger Wicker (MS).

“A massive wave of illegal immigration is providing cover for human smugglers and sex traffickers. We know that thousands of vulnerable women and girls have fallen victim to these criminals, yet the Biden White House has done nothing to stop it. It’s up to Congress to step in. Joe Biden’s taxpayer-funded welcome package already includes a free phone, free plane ticket, and free baby formula – this legislation will stop the administration from adding free abortions to the list,” said Senator Blackburn 

“American taxpayer dollar should never go to fund abortion, and definitely should never be spent on transporting illegal immigrants across state lines for abortions,” said Senator Braun.

“Rather than getting control of the southern border crisis President Biden created, he wants to ship illegal immigrants across the country to get taxpayer funded abortions. This is a gross abuse of Montanans’ taxpayer dollars and should never be allowed,” said Senator Daines.

“The Biden administration’s willingness to act outside the law makes this legislation necessary.  The Hyde Amendment restricts the use of taxpayer dollars to fund abortions.  Whether it be ICE personnel or any other executive branch employee, spending American tax dollars to escort illegal immigrants across state lines for abortions is a clear violation of the law.  It must be stopped,” said Senator Hyde-Smith.

“The Biden administration continues to push their liberal agenda on hardworking Americans and it has to stop,” said Senator Inhofe. “As if trying to use taxpayer dollars to fund American citizens’ abortions was not enough, the Biden administration now wants to use taxpayer dollars to fund illegal migrants’ abortions. To protect our nation’s integrity and safety, we must ensure that ICE and HHS cannot sponsor transportation for illegal immigrants to obtain an abortion.”

 “In a new low, even for the most pro-abortion President in US history, President Biden apparently only wants pregnant women, including minors, who illegally cross our southern border to be placed in states where they can get an abortion,” said Senator Lankford. “His priority seems to be increasing abortions in America, rather than stopping illegal immigration or protecting the lives of children.”

Senator Scott said, “Taxpayers should never be on the hook to pay for abortions, and the thought of forcing Americans to foot the bill for transportation so illegal immigrants can get abortions is horrific. Just when you think that the Biden administration couldn’t get any more radical, it doubles down by pairing its failed open borders policies with its extreme anti-life agenda. I’m proud to join Senator Marshall and our colleagues in introducing this good bill to protect the unborn and prevent this gross misuse of taxpayer dollars.”

“Abortion is wrong, and American taxpayers should never have to pay for it, whether for citizens or illegal immigrants,” said Senator Wicker. “I am proud to stand with my fellow pro-life legislators to protect the sanctity of all human life.”

Additionally, Senator Marshall’s legislation has received endorsements from premiere organizations that advocate for pro-life causes, including the Family Research Council and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America.

“For 45 years federal law has maintained the principle that taxpayer funds should not be used to subsidize abortion at home and abroad.  Thanks to Senator Marshall for carrying this principle forward to ensure that our taxpayer funds are not used to pay for abortions or abortion travel for any detainees in U.S. custody,” said Connor Semelsberger, Director of Federal Affairs for Life and Human Dignity, Family Research Council

“With over 25 years of experience as an OB-GYN, Senator Marshall understands there are two patients in every pregnancy – mother and unborn child. As Americans we stand for life regardless of social status and we know both deserve protection from the horror of abortion,” said Marilyn Musgrave, SBA Pro-Life America’s vice president of government affairs. “Many women and girls who make the perilous journey to the United States suffer trauma, including human trafficking, only to be shamefully exploited by the abortion industry under the Biden-Harris administration. We thank Senator Marshall and his colleagues for introducing this compassionate bill to safeguard women and children against the radical abortion-on-demand agenda.”

Townhall carried an exclusive story on Senator Marshall’s bill. You may click HERE to read the full text of the No Taxpayer Funds for Illegal Alien Abortions Act.

Background:

Specifically, the No Taxpayer Funds for Illegal Alien Abortions Act would:

• Prohibit any ICE or HHS employee or contractor from transporting any illegal alien across State lines for the purpose of procuring an abortion and;
• Prohibit any funds for ICE or HHS from being used or made available to (1) pay for an abortion, except to save the life of the mother or in case of rape or incest, or (2) require any person to perform or facilitate in any way an abortion.

Senator Marshall practiced medicine in Great Bend, KS for more than 25 years. As an OB/GYN, he delivered more than 5,000 babies, giving him a deep appreciation and passion for the sanctity of life and an intimate understanding of the healthcare system. During his time in medicine, Senator Marshall was more than a physician. For 25 years, he was a business owner who signed a paycheck every other week for a practice that grew from 5 people to eventually more than 300.

Last month, Senator Marshall served as Ranking Member for a U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) hearing on abortion laws following the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade and returning the issue of abortion to state governments.

Upon entering the U.S. Senate in January 2021, Senator Marshall’s first bill was the Protecting Life in Crisis Act. This legislation would prohibit any funds that are authorized or appropriated for the purposes of preventing, preparing for, or responding to the COVID–19 pandemic, domestically and internationally, from going toward abortions or abortion coverage. Additionally, Senator Marshall is an original cosponsor of the following pro-life bills:

1. Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act: This bill requires that appropriate care be given to any child who survives an attempted abortion. The bill also allows federal murder charges to be brought against anyone who intentionally kills such a born-alive child.
2. Prohibiting Federal Emergencies for Abortion Act: The bill would prohibit the declaration of a Federal emergency relating to abortion.
3. Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act: This bill would exclude elective abortion providers like Planned Parenthood from the Title X family planning program.
4. Life at Conception Act: This bill ensures that current right to life protections granted by the 14th Amendment are truly guaranteed to all human beings, including unborn children at all stages of development. The Constitution already guarantees the right to life in the 14th Amendment, this bill simply enforces the law and ensures those same protections are extended to the most vulnerable members of our society.
5. Defund Planned Parenthood Act: This bill would ensure that federal tax dollars are not going to Planned Parenthood or any other organizations that perform abortions. Funds for these services would continue to be provided to entities that are eligible and not performing abortions, such as community health centers.
6. No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act: This bill would codify the Hyde Amendment, prohibiting Federal funding for elective abortion, as a permanent, government-wide prohibition. It also would restrict Obamacare’s premium tax credits from being used for elective abortion coverage on the exchanges.
7. Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act: This bill prohibits abortions after 20-weeks, a point at which research has shown unborn children feel pain.
8. Down Syndrome Protection Act: This bill prohibits the performance of an abortion being sought due to the unborn child having Down syndrome.
9. Protecting Life and Integrity in Research Act: This bill would prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from conducting or supporting any research involving human fetal tissue that is obtained pursuant to an induced abortion.
10. Support and Value Expectant (SAVE) Moms and Babies Act: This bill would prevent labeling changes for already approved abortion drugs; prevent providers from dispensing these drugs remotely, by mail, or via telemedicine; and prevent the FDA from approving any new chemical abortion drugs.
11. Women’s Public Health and Safety Act: This bill clarifies the authority of states to exclude providers of elective abortion like Planned Parenthood from the state’s Medicaid program. Planned Parenthood receives about half a billion dollars in tax-payer funding per year, most of which comes from Medicaid.
12. Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA): Currently, only 11 states ban abortions that are sought on the basis of sex. PRENDA would combat the worrying trend of sex-selective abortion in America by making it a federal crime to abort a child based on his or her gender.
13. Pregnant Women Health and Safety Act: This bill would require abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 15 miles of their practices.  The bill also requires abortion centers to meet state-mandated requirements for ambulatory surgery centers.
14. Parental Notification and Intervention Act: This bill prohibits a person or organization from performing, facilitating, or assisting in the performance of an abortion on an un-emancipated minor without first complying with parental notification requirements.
15. Protecting Life in Foreign Assistance Act: The bill would codify an expanded version of the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance Policy, also known as the Mexico City Policy. Specifically, the bill would ensure that no funds be made available to foreign non-governmental organizations, multi-lateral nonprofits, and quasi-autonomous non-governmental organizations that perform abortions, counsel for abortion, lobby for abortion policies or expanded access, or provide funding or resources for any entity, including domestic non-governmental organizations and non-profits, that perform abortions abroad.

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