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"Pro-Life" Casey Votes Twice to Enable US Funding for Abortion Overseas

By Meg Jalsevac

WASHINGTON, DC, September 14, 2007, (LifeSiteNews.com) - Last week Senator Bob Casey, Jr. (Democrat-Pennsylvania) actively contradicted his largely pro-life campaign promises by voting to approve a funding appropriations bill that would provide US funding to foreign organizations that promote and provide abortions.      

The funding bill (HR 2764) would effectively overturn the Mexico City Policy, a foreign aid policy which expressly prohibits the funding of overseas agencies involved in abortion.  The policy was first adopted by President Ronald Reagan and continued in the presidency of Bush, Sr.  President Clinton repealed the pro-life policy on the first day of his tenure but the current President Bush reinstated it as one of his own initial acts in office.

Casey voted in favor of an amendment sponsored by ardently pro-abortion Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) which not only permitted but actually increased funding to overseas agencies which provide or refer for abortions. 

On the same bill, pro-life Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) introduced a conflicting amendment to maintain the Mexico City Policy when allocating foreign funding.  Surprisingly, just 20 minutes after his vote to increase funding to foreign abortion agencies, Senator Casey also voted to approve Brownback's amendment and to uphold the Mexico City Policy but later admitted that second vote was an error on his part.

However, according to National Review, just days later Senator Casey returned to the Senate floor to address his contradictory vote saying, "it was my intention to vote 'nay' [to upholding the Mexico City Policy]. Therefore, I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to change my vote since it will not affect the outcome of that vote."

Diane Gramley, President of the American Family Association of Pennsylvania, commented on Casey's recent votes.  "Senator Bob Casey, Jr. has recently shown some confusion on his stand on the abortion issue.  But apparently he does not have the pro-life convictions that his father did.  Bob Casey, Sr. paid for those convictions, but apparently his son does not have the backbone to stand up to pressure from the Democratic leadership."

Senator Casey's father was a prominent and well-respected Pennsylvania Democratic senator who was known for his support of the pro-life movement.  Casey, Sr. was denied a speaking opportunity at the 1992 Democratic National Convention because he intended to deliver a speech that illustrated his support of life.

Casey's recent votes are disappointing to pro-life individuals who expected a more pro-life commitment from him especially in light of his campaign promises and 2004 Voter Guide questionnaire answers. 

In answer to questions posed by Voter Guide before the 2006 elections, Casey stated that he was "Opposed" in the following categories:  Public funding of abortion, a woman's 'right to abortion' and tax-funded abortion.  Casey also indicated that he "supports legal protection for human life from conception."

According to the National Review Online, Casey's spokesman Larry Smar replied to inquiries regarding the pro-abortion votes saying, "[Senator Casey] does not support public funding of abortion."  Smar insisted that Senator Casey is holding true to his campaign promise to work to reduce the overall number of abortions and that the amendment that he voted in favor of "would not allow public funding of abortion."

According to the terminology of Boxer's amendment, the US foreign aid would not be allocated specifically - by the US - for abortion services.  However, the aid would go to abortion providing 'family planning' agencies overseas to be used as necessary.

As previously reported by LifeSiteNews.com, Cardinal Justin Regali addressed the Senate before the funding appropriations vote in a letter in which he stated that "the new congressional leadership has endorsed the general consensus that Congress should work to 'reduce abortions.' Unfortunately some of the means proposed, such as expanded contraceptive programs, have been shown to be failures at achieving this goal and pose other moral problems. However, we should at least be able to agree that such efforts are hollow if programs to reduce abortion must be implemented through organizations that perform and promote abortions."
 
President Bush has promised to issue a veto if the funding appropriations bill disregards the Mexico City Policy.

To respectfully contact Senator Casey at his Washington, DC office:

383 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-6324
Toll Free: (866) 802-2833
Fax: (202) 228-0604

Or by email click on the following link:
http://casey.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Read the entire National Review Online article:
http://article.nationalreview.com/...

Read Previous LifeSiteNews.com Coverage:

Democrat Dominated US Senate Votes to Resume Funding to International Abortion Agencies
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/sep/07091301.html

Casey Ran as "Pro-Life"; His First Act Seeks "Sexual Orientation" Hate Crime Law
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/nov/06111403.html ;

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