by Sophie Trist
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The incoming Biden-Harris administration is gearing up to be the most unapologetically pro-abortion administration in U.S. history. Whereas the Democratic Party previously embraced a "safe, legal, and rare" mantra, while also fostering a big tent approach toward pro-lifers, the language in the DNC's 2020 platform calls for the codification of Roe v. Wade and the repeal of the Hyde Amendment, which prevents federal tax dollars from funding abortions. The administration's new mantra is "on demand, for any reason, at any time, taxpayer-funded."
A detailed summary of President-elect Biden’s abortion record can be found here. Biden started out as a pro-life Democrat, but he has gradually come to accept violence against the unborn. In 1981, Biden voted in favor of a constitutional amendment to overturn Roe v. Wade. In 2006, Biden voted for increased restrictions on late-term abortion. At the beginning of the latest presidential race, Biden distinguished himself as the only candidate to support the Hyde Amendment. Yet in June of 2019, he reversed his position. When asked this past fall how he would respond if the Supreme Court overturned Roe, Biden said, "The only responsible response to that would be to pass legislation making Roe the law of the land. That's what I would do.” In short, our president-elect may have at one time been uncomfortable with abortion, but he has long since accepted violence against unborn children.
Even more concerning are the records of two key officials in the upcoming administration: Vice-president-elect Kamala Harris and Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Xavier Becerra, both of whom have consistently received 100% ratings from pro-choice groups such as NARAL and Planned Parenthood. During her time as California's Attorney General, Kamala Harris authorized a raid on the home of pro-life journalist David Daleiden after he shot undercover videos of Planned Parenthood trafficking in fetal body parts. Harris was one of the first presidential candidates to challenge Joe Biden's support of the Hyde Amendment, and she supports his plan to codify Roe v. Wade. Harris has also co-sponsored two extremely pro-abortion bills: the Women's Health Protection Act, which would circumvent pro-life laws at the state level, and the Equal Access to Abortion with Health Insurance (EACH Woman) Act, which would force private insurance providers to cover abortion. Harris also proposed that states attempting to restrict abortion should have to receive preclearance from the Justice Department. In short, Kamala Harris is one of the most militantly pro-abortion politicians in America, and her reproductive rights wishlist would drastically expand the killing of unborn children.
Potential Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra has followed in the footsteps of Kamala Harris. While in Congress, he voted against the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act and the Pain-capable Unborn Child Protection Act, indicating full support for late-term abortion. He also opposed a law to prevent minors from being transported across state lines for abortions without parental consent. Upon succeeding Harris as California's Attorney General, Becerra zealously prosecuted David Daleiden and his colleague Sandra Merrit, while minimizing the violence of Planned Parenthood abortionists. Becerra also defended a 2018 California law that, if not overturned by the Supreme Court, would have required crisis pregnancy centers to advertise for abortion providers. As HHS Secretary, Becerra could eliminate FDA regulations regarding telemedicine abortion and allow abortion pills to be shipped by mail, reducing the availability of counseling and leaving women more vulnerable to abusive partners looking to kill their unborn children.
The statements and records of these top officials in the incoming Biden administration are alarming to pro-lifers. This is an administration that seems bent on rationalizing the killing of unborn children and making it available on demand. In light of this, our work to humanize the unborn and advocate for their right to life is more important than ever. As always, consistent life ethic organizations like Rehumanize International must stand at the forefront of the fight for human rights for all human beings and work toward a society in which the unborn child is valued just like every other member of our human family.