U.S. bishops praise expansion of Mexico City policy

Three chairmen of committees of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops praised Jan. 30 the Trump administration's recent expansion of the Mexico City policy, which prohibits taxpayer funding for groups that perform elective abortions overseas, to include U.S.-based NGOs operating abroad.

"God entrusts us with a responsibility to share our blessings to help preserve the lives and dignity of our brothers and sisters in need," said a joint statement by the chairmen -- Bishop Edward J. Burns of Dallas, Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth; Bishop Daniel E. Thomas of Toledo, Ohio, Committee on Pro-Life Activities; and Bishop A. Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles, Committee on International Justice and Peace.

"We support robust funding for authentic lifesaving and life-affirming foreign assistance and applaud new policies that prevent taxpayer dollars from going to organizations that engage in ideological colonization and promote abortion or gender ideology overseas," the statement said. "We also call for the implementation of any related policies to be carried out in a manner that recognizes the inherent dignity of every human person and does not harm those who are racially or ethnically marginalized."

The White House's announcement of the expanded policy came shortly before Vice President JD Vance told participants at the 53rd annual March for Life in Washington Jan. 23 that President Donald Trump is their "ally" in the White House, amid concerns from some in the pro-life movement about remaining policy priorities just over a year into Trump's second term in the White House.

Pro-life leaders who spoke with OSV News at that event pointed to the expansion of the Mexico City policy, as well as a review of allegations Planned Parenthood illegally received $88 million in COVID-19 pandemic-related loans, and National Institutes of Health cuts to funding for research using aborted fetal tissue as positive developments for their cause. But they also said safeguarding the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits taxpayer funding for abortion, and the reinstatement of stronger restrictions on mifepristone are significant remaining priorities.