The US bishops’ conference has released a statement condemning President Joe Biden’s recent comments in which he vowed to codify a national right to abortion if Democrats maintain control of Congress after the midterms. The president made it clear that abortion should be of top concern to voters, in remarks given on October 18, just 22 days before the election.
Biden’s comments
In his remarks, given at the Howard Theatre in the capital, Biden sought an emotional response as he urged all to remember the June decision of the Supreme Court to place abortion decisions back in the hands of state authorities. According to the Associated Press, he said:
“I want to remind us all how we felt when 50 years of constitutional precedent was overturned; the anger, the worry, the disbelief,” Biden said.
Biden criticized Republican lawmakers who have pushed for abortion restrictions in their own states and districts, as well as reiterating the need for more Democrat-held seats to pass the bill. The president vowed that if his party could win enough Congressional seats, then he would make signing such a bill to be his top priority. Biden said:
“If we do that, here’s the promise I make to you and the American people: The first bill that I will send to the Congress will be to codify Roe v. Wade,” Biden said. “And when Congress passes it, I’ll sign it in January, 50 years after Roe was first decided the law of the land.”
Bishops’ response
On October 25, a week after Biden’s comments, the USCCB weighed in on the matter. Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, released a statement that emphasized the teaching of the Church, as well as reiterating the importance of upholding the dignity of human life.
“The president is gravely wrong to continue to seek every possible avenue to facilitate abortion, instead of using his power to increase support and care to mothers in challenging situations,” wrote Archbishop Lori.
The archbishop went on to urge the president to consider the violence involved in the abortion procedure and how it hurts both mother and child:
“This single-minded extremism must end, and we implore President Biden to recognize the humanity in preborn children and the genuine life-giving care needed by women in this country.”
The Archbishop instructed, “As pastors who deal daily with the tragic impacts of abortion, we know that abortion is a violent act which ends the life of preborn children and wounds untold numbers of women.”
Archbishop Lori concluded by reiterating the Church’s stance on the right to life:
“The Catholic Church wishes to continue in our work with our government and leaders to protect the right to life of every human being and to ensure that pregnant and parenting mothers are fully supported in the care of their children before and after birth,” Archbishop Lori concluded.
And today we celebrate...