It is hard to believe that 100 days have passed since that day in late January when I sat on the platform and witnessed Donald J. Trump become our 45th President. Undoubtedly this administration has already faced a tough agenda, but this pro-lifer remains hopeful for the future and grateful that our President has kept his promise to protect the most vulnerable among us - the unborn.
Just one week after Inauguration Day, President Trump showed unprecedented support for the pro-life movement by sending the highest-ranking White House officials ever to address the March for Life, the largest annual human rights demonstration worldwide. On January 27th, 2017, both Vice President Mike Pence and Senior Advisor Kellyanne Conway spoke to the crowd gathered at the 44th annual March for Life, and we received unparalleled coverage after President Trump challenged the media to cover the March.
Acknowledging that “personnel is policy,” President Trump has made exemplary pro-life cabinet appointments. In addition to the two long-standing pro-life champions who represented the White House at the March for Life, he nominated other pro-life leaders to influential positions like HHS Secretary Tom Price, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, UN Ambassador Nicky Haley, and Department of Interior Secretary Zinke.
However, perhaps Trump’s most promising pro-life pick is newly confirmed Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. Though he faced unreasonably difficult nomination hearings and filibuster, Gorsuch’s impeccable qualifications in the way of education, experience, and temperament shown bright as the pro-life community grew even more confident that he would bring unwavering respect for the inherent dignity of all human life to the Supreme Court bench.
President Trump has also kept his pro-life promise with the implementation of tangible policy. Just three days after inauguration, he reinstated what is popularly known as the “Mexico City Policy”. Like other Republican Administrations since Reagan, Trump sided with the 83% of taxpayers who oppose funding overseas abortions by prohibiting monetary assistance for abortion providers abroad.
Once again exhibiting concern for the abusive practice of abortion overseas, the Trump Administration eliminated funding for the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) due to their work with China’s one child/two child policy, which involves coerced abortion and forced sterilizations. This policy move will redirect the $32.5 million in family planning funding from UNFPA to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Most recently, the President signed into law the Title X Congressional Review Act. In doing so, President Trump reversed Obama’s parting gift to Planned Parenthood by restoring states' freedom to direct taxpayer dollars away from abortion providers, in favor of supporting community health centers that deliver comprehensive women’s care, and already outnumber abortion providers 20 to 1.
Much has been accomplished in a little over three months and we are grateful that President Trump has been a man of his word. However, there is still more work to be done. Over these next 100 days, we encourage the President and Congress to work together to pass healthcare that codifies the Hyde Amendment and redirects Planned Parenthood funding, to quickly fill the over 127 federal judicial and key personnel vacancies, and to sign into a law a ban on five month abortions (the pain-capable unborn child protection act) - a bill that reflects the 74% of Americans who wish to limit abortion to the first three months of pregnancy.
Under President Trump’s administration, the pro-life movement has gained significant ground. It is our hope that this momentum continues into the next 100 days and beyond until there is not only a political, but cultural shift in the way our country views abortion.
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