Guest Joins Letter Rebuking HHS Pro-Abortion Task Force

Press Release

Congressman Michael Guest (R-MS) has joined 52 House Republicans in a letter led by Rep. Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-GA) to Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra expressing concern on a pro-abortion task force established by HHS.

"On the 49th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision, your Department announced the formation of a new Task Force that has labeled terminating the lives of unborn children to be "essential sexual and reproductive health care," the Members write.

The authors argue that the efforts to advance the use of abortions could be better directed toward supporting women and children.

"We adamantly disagree with your premise -- abortion is not health care," the Members continue in the letter. "Abortion robs a person of health and life itself. Since 1973, 63 million innocent lives have been lost to abortion. Women deserve better than abortion. They deserve the support they need to care for their babies and themselves."

The Members also argue that the actions of the pro-abortion task force would be a misuse of taxpayer dollars.

"The taxpayer dollars that fund HHS should be focused on promoting the highest quality of health information and care to all individuals, both born and unborn. They should not be used to promote a pro-abortion agenda in a shameless attempt to override the pro-life legislation that is being promoted in the states and defended in countries around the world," the Members summarize.

The letter closes with requests for answers on seven questions along with organizing documents of the task force in order to provide transparency to the American people on the purpose of the task force. The questions are:

Will HHS commit to following and enforcing all federal laws in the operation of this Task Force?
Does the Task Force intend to use federal funds to advocate against state laws that regulate abortion?
What did Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs Loyce Pace mean by her statement: "Advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights is central to our core global health goals"?
What funds will be used to set up and operate this Task Force?
What offices at HHS will be invited to be a part of the Task Force?
Please provide a list of all "senior-level HHS officials" who have been assigned to this Task Force.
Will the Task Force be both an intra-agency task force, as well as a coordinating unit for a similar inter-agency effort? If not, will all agencies set up similar task forces?
Please send the organizing documents stating the purpose, breadth, and measures for success for the Task Force

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