Sen. Lee Introduces Pro-Life Legislation

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 -- Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, issued the following news release on Jan. 28, 2021:

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) today introduced three pieces of pro-life legislation: the Abortion is not Health Care Act, the Protecting Life in Health Savings Accounts Act, and the Protecting Life in Foreign Assistance Act.

"Each human life, born and unborn, has immeasurable dignity and worth. The lives of both an unborn baby and her mother matter; and healthcare should heal, protect, and preserve both their lives. Our laws and use of taxpayer money should reflect that truth, which is why I have introduced these bills," Sen. Lee said.

The Abortion is not Health Care Act would end the tax deductibility of abortions and clarify that this gruesome practice is not health care. Currently, the IRS categorizes an abortion as "medical care" and allows tax benefits to flow to this immoral practice, subsidizing the killing of hundreds of thousands of unborn children each year. This bill would amend Section 213 of the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit elective abortion expenses from being considered eligible for a medical expense deduction.

Cosponsors include: Sens. John Thune (R-SD), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Steve Daines (R-MT), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Rick Scott (R-FL), John Kennedy (R-LA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Mike Braun (R-IN), Rand Paul (R-KY), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tim Scott (R-SC), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Ben Sasse (R-NE).

The Protecting Life in Health Savings Accounts would end the preferential tax treatment of abortion in health savings accounts. Current law allows individuals to use tax-advantaged funds from health savings accounts (HSAs), flexible savings accounts (FSAs), health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), Archer medical savings accounts (MSAs), and retiree health accounts for the "medical expense" of abortion. This legislation would amend the Internal Revenue Code to explicitly prevent abortions from getting a special tax-advantage through use of these accounts.

Cosponsors include: Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Braun (R-IN), Rand Paul (R-KY), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Ben Sasse (R-NE).

The Protecting Life in Foreign Assistance Act would ensure that our foreign aid is not funding or promoting abortions overseas. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan first instituted the Mexico City Policy, prohibiting the availability of family planning foreign assistance funds to organizations that provide or promote abortions, or advocate to change abortion laws in a foreign country. Since then, the policy has been alternately rescinded and reinstated with changing administrations.

The Trump Administration reinstated and expanded this policy, renaming it the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy. This bill would permanently codify an expanded version of this policy into law. With President Biden poised to rescind the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy, it is crucial that Congress act to codify it. Doing so would affirm the dignity of unborn human lives everywhere, and save countless lives across the globe.

Cosponsors include: Sens. Ben Sasse (R-NE), James Lankford (R-OK), John Cornyn (R-TX), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Steve Daines (R-MT), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Rick Scott (R-FL), Deb Fischer (R-NE), John Kennedy (R-LA), Thom Thillis (R-NC), Shelley Capito (R-WV), Todd Young (R-IN), Mike Braun (R-IN), Rand Paul (R-KY), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Richard Burr (R-NC), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Tim Scott (R-SC), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS).