Trump Upholds the Unborn
Eagle Forum President Kris Ullman and Washington, D.C. Executive Director Tabitha Walter at the March for Life 2025.
January 30, 2025 | Washington, D.C.
by Tabitha Walter, Executive Director, Eagle Forum
What a week in Washington, D.C.! As we reported last week, President Donald Trump and his Administration have wasted no time taking action to get our country back on track. He has signed dozens of executive orders (EOs) that will empower parents, protect the lives and health of our children, and bolster American families.
The 52nd annual March for Life took place on Friday, January 24th in Washington, D.C. Tens of thousands of marchers gathered to show their support for women and their babies. For the first time in March for Life history, representatives from all facets of government spoke to the crowd. President Trump sent a video message while Vice President J.D. Vance, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spoke in person. This was a great showing of unity for the cause of life among our nation’s leaders. President Trump also took decisive actions to support the unborn and pro-life activists.
The Biden administration greatly weaponized the constitutionally-suspect FACE Act against pro-life individuals over the last four years. This federal law prosecutes individuals who block entry to reproductive health-related facilities and religious institutions. In 2022, since the Dobbs decision, the Department of Justice charged 26 pro-life activists while turning a blind eye to the violence happening to the 90 pregnancy centers and 434 Catholic Churches. One such “criminal” was 75-year-old Paula Paulette Harlow who was sentenced to two years in prison for praying outside an abortion clinic entrance. When her husband asked for leniency due to age and health, the judge told Harlow to “make an effort to remain alive” since that was a “tenet of [her] religion.” On Friday, President Trump pardoned her along with the 22 pro-lifers who were sentenced under the FACE Act, calling their incarcerations “disgraceful.”
Later that evening, he released two Executive Orders. The first ensured that the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits taxpayer funding of abortion, would be implemented throughout the executive branch. The other Executive Order reinstated the Mexico City policy that prohibits funding of international organizations that provide or promote abortion. This complemented his earlier Executive Order that recognized that our inherent genetic makeup begins at conception. Additionally, he shut down the Biden Administration’s pro-abortion website reproductiverights.gov.
Congress has also been busy protecting life. Last week, both the House and Senate voted on the Born-Alive Survivors Protection Act (H.R. 21/S. 6) that would ensure that babies born alive after an attempted abortion receive lifesaving care. The White House issued a statement of support saying, “it is the policy of the United States to recognize the human dignity and inherent worth of every newborn or other infant child, regardless of prematurity or disability, and to ensure for each child due protection under the law.” The bill passed the House by a vote of 217-204, however, the Senate did not reach the 60-vote threshold needed to move the bill to a final vote.
Other Members of Congress have introduced bills in hopes that they will either move on their own or be inserted into other bills. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN) introduced the Ending Chemical Abortions Act that would stop the distribution of abortion pills. Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) introduced legislation to create a hotline that would assist in reversing an abortion caused by the chemical abortion pill. She has also introduced bills to ensure ultrasounds, parental notifications, and informed consent are required before an abortion takes place and another to give women who receive abortions the ability to decide on arrangements for the fetal remains rather than an abortionist harvesting fetal organs for profit.
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) has also found different angles to protect life. He has introduced bills to make clear that elective abortions are not “healthcare” and therefore such expenses are ineligible for a medical expense deduction through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or health savings accounts. He has also introduced a bill to repeal the FACE Act completely.
Eagle Forum has endorsed these and other pro-life bills. One of our priorities for this year is to ensure that Congress defunds Planned Parenthood once and for all. While the Executive Orders are wonderful, we need to ensure that these funding prohibitions are made permanent and that no organization that promotes or performs abortion gets one dollar of taxpayer funding. We have real opportunities for victory in the cause of LIFE this year – join us TODAY!
Tabitha Walter is the Washington, D.C. Executive Director for Eagle Forum. She focuses on conservative policy issues and federal election endorsements for Eagle Forum PAC.