Pro-lifers, Catholics react to President Biden’s State of the Union address
U.S. CAPITOL
The U.S. Capitol is seen at dawn in Washington Jan. 9, 2021. (CNS photo/Tyler Orsburn)
OSV News Service
In reiterating his call to codify Roe v. Wade Feb. 7, President Joe Biden drew criticism from Catholic and other pro-life groups.
During his State of the Union address, Biden called on Congress to codify Roe v. Wade “to protect every woman’s constitutional right to choose.”
The Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization in June 2022 overturned the high court’s previous abortion-related precedents in Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Several states have moved to either restrict or expand access to the procedure since the Dobbs ruling. Biden said he would veto any effort to restrict the procedure at a federal level.
“Make no mistake; if Congress passes a national abortion ban, I will veto it,” Biden said.
Louis Brown, executive director of Christ Medicus Foundation, criticized Biden’s position on abortion and expressed concern for the conscience rights of health care providers who refuse to participate in such procedures.
In a statement, Brown cited Biden’s “anti-life and anti-religious freedom policy agendas that destroy unborn life, harm the dignity of pregnant mothers, and violate the religious freedom and medical conscience rights of healthcare professionals.”
“We hope, pray and encourage members of Congress and senators to work for pro-life legislation, defend against attacks on religious freedom and medical conscience rights, and to empower medical professionals, Catholic health centers and other faith-based health care entities in their healing ministry to care and heal the sick, the suffering and the vulnerable,” he said.
