GOP Ties Anti-Abortion Push to Papal Visit

By Published on September 21, 2015

Democrats have a lengthy wish list for Pope Francis when he addresses Congress this week. But Republicans are seizing on the Catholic leader’s historic visit to make good on one of their top social priorities: Tough new abortion restrictions.

As they rally behind a long-awaited measure that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, GOP lawmakers are tying their messaging to the teachings of the Catholic Church, which opposes the practice. And the presence of Pope Francis on Capitol Hill this week shines an even brighter spotlight on the legislation, which has long been a top priority of advocacy groups that oppose abortion.

And GOP lawmakers are urging Pope Francis to use his unprecedented platform before Congress to spread a message that calls for restricting abortion.

“The message to the Pope is … there are only seven countries in the world that allow abortion this late, at five months,” said Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), a former Christian camp director who has become one of the Senate’s most prominent voices against abortion. “And I’d like us to not be one of them.”

Read the article “GOP Ties Anti-Abortion Push to Papal Visit” on politico.com.

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