Illinois’ Catholic Bishops Urge Lawmakers to Oppose Taxpayer Funding of Abortion

Date: April 16, 2015

CHICAGO – Illinois’ Catholic bishops today, April 14, sent a letter to members of the Illinois House, urging them to reject public funding of abortion as outlined in House Bill 4013.

The legislation removes the current prohibition on state employees’ health insurance plans from paying for elective abortions, as well as the ban on using taxpayer money to pay for elective abortions in the state’s Medicaid program. Additionally, the proposal removes the ban on state-funded grants to organizations that counsel for or perform abortions. Current law calls for those grants to go to organizations that help women experiencing problem pregnancies.

“The provisions of House Bill 4013 will force all taxpayers, even those opposed as a matter of conscience, to participate in funding the abortion industry,” the bishops write. “This is a radical shift in public policy as it totally disregards the fact that an overwhelming majority of Americans steadfastly have opposed contributing their personal human resources through tax dollars for the destruction of innocent human life.”

The bishops note that public sentiment stands against public funding of abortion, citing a nationwide March 2014 CNN/ORC poll of more than 1,000 adults showing opposition outranking support by 17 points, 56 percent to 39 percent. Additionally, the federal government has consistently rejected using taxpayer money to fund abortions through the Hyde amendment to annual appropriations bills.

Both House and Senate lawmakers reconvene today after a two-week spring break. House Bill 4013 passed the House Human Services Committee on March 18 on a partisan 8-6 vote.

View the bishops' letter in English, Spanish and Polish