Congressman Chris Smith today denounced one of the first acts of newly sworn in President Barack Obama, who issued an edict that will force U.S. taxpayers to subsidize organizations that perform and promote abortion around the world.     “In a revelation of priorities, President Barack Obama has moved to export the violence of abortion to Africa, Latin America and parts of Asia and Europe by providing millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars to organizations so ideologically driven by abortion that they insist on promoting and performing abortion as a method of family planning,” said Smith the Co-Chairman of the House Bipartisan Pro-life Caucus. “With no regard for the pro-life laws of many countries Obama has now decided to fund groups that will be fighting to provide abortion and overturn pro-life laws in a direct affront to the national sovereignty of democratic nations.”

    “In his inaugural address this week, the President was both lofty and eloquent, and his inspiring words to Americans and the world were historic and uplifting,” Smith said. “But in Washington, actions speak louder than words. Sadly, in his first few days, President Obama’s actions show he has opted to spread abortion all around the world, and use U.S. taxpayer money to support it.”

    Through an executive order signed earlier today, Obama rescinded the Mexico City Policy, which was first announced by the Reagan administration at a 1984 U.N. Population Conference held in Mexico City, hence its name. This policy simply requires that foreign nongovernmental organizations agree, as a condition of their receipt of federal assistance for family-planning activities, to neither perform nor actively promote abortion as a method of family planning. 

    “Under the Mexico City policy, funding for family planning is not reduced by one penny,” Smith said. “Abortion should not be considered as a method of ‘family planning.’ President Obama’s action now ensures that taxpayer money will be used overseas to fund highly controversial abortion providers.” 

    Today, scores of countries throughout the world are literally under siege in a well-coordinated, exceedingly well-funded campaign to overturn the laws and policies of sovereign nations that protect women and children from the violence of abortion on demand, putting women and children at risk—and now we, the American taxpayer—will facilitate, enable and legitimize their deadly activities. 

    Smith said the Obama Administration threatens to push the most extreme pro-abortion agenda in American history. If even a portion of the agenda advances by executive order, reinterpretation of existing law, or enactment of new laws—like the so-called Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA)—millions of unborn children will die and their mothers wounded. 

    “President Obama will be remembered forever not just as a smart, savvy, gifted and eloquent leader—but as the Abortion President,” Smith said. 

    Smith said even before the inauguration, dozens of pro-abortion organizations had already conveyed a 55-page blueprint for abortion promotion to the Obama transition team. 

    Smith said that abortion supporters will now target state and federal laws that prohibit taxpayer funding for abortions, including the Hyde Amendment in effect for over 30 years; repeal parental notification for minors; oppose women’s right to know statutes; eliminate conscience protections for healthcare providers; fund human embryo-destroying stem cell research; and repeal the federal ban on partial birth abortion. 

    “This begins their campaign to enrich and empower pro-abortion organizations everywhere with billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars while making the audacious claim that their misuse of funds will reduce abortion,” Smith said.