Amidst all-time high gas prices, sky-rocketing real estate prices, inflation, a war in Ukraine and not least of all, the U.S.’s $28.43 trillion dollars in debt, the question of how America’s hard-earned money is spent should be at the forefront of every taxpayer’s mind. Unfortunately for the American taxpayer, Congress has decided to spend taxpayer dollars, not on its own citizens but instead, to pay for abortions for women overseas. Not less than $60 million dollars of taxpayer money is going towards what Congresswoman Barbara Lee calls “the empowerment of women.”

The Helm’s Amendment and the Mexico City Policy, or the Global Gag Rule, as it’s referred to by its critics, are provisions that prohibit the use of United States’ funds, i.e., taxpayer money, from being used as foreign aid to fund the practice of abortions, either voluntary or coerced. While the provisions have been rescinded and reinstated over the 36 years since their creation, both provisions have been in effect for 21 of those 36 years. In other words, it has been in effect more times than it has been rescinded. However, the Biden administration has seen fit to rescind them again, going so far as to issue a permanent prohibition of the Mexico City Policy which of course has become a controversial topic. Therefore, as Congressman Ben Cline stated, “to export and impose a controversial agenda onto other countries would be a violation of their cultural norms.” The people of the United States of America are divided as to the topic of abortion and should therefore not be imposing a view on the international stage that a large majority of Americans disagree with, nor should American money be used to promote abortions in other countries. Especially, as Congressman Cline states, when that view and practice can be in conflict with another country’s culture.

When Congresswoman Ashley Hinson presented an amendment that would once again put into effect the Helm’s Amendment and Mexico City Policy, many congress members were quick to call the amendment an attack on women and women’s health, calling for disapproval of the amendment. Dissenters like Congresswoman Lois Frankel and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro gave hollow speeches about empowering women and girls, specifically low-income and colored women, in other countries by offering them American taxpayer-funded abortions. Yet, they were silent when Congresswoman Hinson suggested working together to really empower all women by focusing on strengthening actual women’s healthcare, especially in our own country of the United States, as opposed to taxpayer-funded abortions which seem to be touted as the miracle solution to all women’s healthcare needs.