Biden to rescind Mexico City Policy, Trump's pro-life actions

By Brandon Showalter, Opinion writer and social commentator Thursday, January 21, 2021

Pro-life activists try to block pro-choice activists as the annual March for Life passes by in front of the U.S. Supreme Court January 22, 2015, in Washington, D.C. Pro-life activists gathered in the nation's capital to mark the 1973 Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion. | Alex Wong/Getty Images

The Biden administration dodged questions about the president's policy priorities regarding abortion funding on his first day in office, but on Thursday Dr. Anthony Fauci confirmed that the president will be rescinding his predecessor's pro-life policies.

According to Catholic News Agency, Fauci told board members of the World Health Organization that the administration will repeal the Mexico City Policy in the “coming days.”

“It will be our policy to support women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights in the United States, as well as globally,” Fauci said.

“To that end, President Biden will be revoking the Mexico City Policy in the coming days, as part of his broader commitment to protect women’s health and advance gender equality at home and around the world,” he added.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki conducts her first news conference of the Biden administration in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on January 20, 2021, in Washington, D.C. Psaki previously worked in the Obama administration as White House Communications Director and spokesperson for the State Department. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Fielding questions from reporters Wednesday during her first press conference as Biden's White House Press Secretary, Jen Psaki was asked about the Hyde Amendment, the Mexico City Policy and how the new president intends to proceed.

"I think we’ll have more to say on the Mexico City Policy in the coming days. But I will just take the opportunity to remind all of you that he is a devout Catholic and somebody who attends church regularly," Psaki replied to a reporter with the Catholic network EWTN.

"He started his day attending church with his family this morning, but I don’t have anything more for you on that," she added.

The Hyde Amendment is a federal provision that bars tax dollars from being used to pay for the abortions of women on Medicaid. It once had considerable bipartisan support, including from Biden who reversed his stance during the 2020 presidential campaign.

The Mexico City Policy prohibits U.S. tax dollars from being used by nongovernmental organizations and other entities that provide abortions, referrals for abortion or expand abortion services. Under the Trump administration, the policy was reinstituted and subsequently expanded.

The Mexico City Policy, which critics call the "global gag rule," was first implemented by President Ronald Reagan. Ever since, Republican administrations have supported it and Democratic administrations have revoked it soon after entering office. Abortion rights activists have petitioned the Biden administration to rescind Trump's pro-life policies.

Conservative pundits and journalists have expressed their dismay that Biden continues to be referred to as a "devout Catholic" given his views on abortion.

"Reminder: the Catholic Church teaches that abortion is 'a crime against human life,” “constitutes a grave offense ...” tweeted Mary Margaret Olohan of the Daily Caller.