Peterson joins Bachmann, Kline in asking D.C. to stop abortion funding

DFL Rep. Collin Peterson is joining with Republican Reps. Michele Bachmann and John Kline in strongly urging the District of Columbia to act quickly in implementing a ban on publicly subsidized abortions in the city. As part of the continuing resolution passed last week, Washington, D.C. has to halt paying for abortions under its programs for low-income women. Peterson, Bachmann and Kline were among several dozen Congress members who issued a letter on Tuesday that also asks D.C. for detailed reports about the new ban.

“We trust you will act immediately to respect and faithfully implement the law by ensuring that no further taxpayer funds are expended for elective abortion,” the members wrote. “We further request detailed information about abortion funding in the District during the period in which the D.C. Hyde amendment was not in place. With reinstatement of the D.C. Hyde amendment public funding for the destruction of innocent human life will no longer be permitted in D.C. However, history has shown that the District has not always complied with this policy when it has been in place in the past. When this policy was reinstated for FY96, the District continued to fund abortions in violation of the law until the violation was uncovered in FY98.”

The authors added, “We do not anticipate that this situation will occur again, but in light of this history, we ask that you provide detailed information outlining what steps you are taking to ensure that no more public funds are used to pay for elective abortion in D.C.”

The letter was sent to DC Mayor Vincent Gray, who, along with several DC council members, were arrested after protesting the riders in the continuing resolution which impose mandates on the District. In addition to the abortion ban, the continuing resolution also mandated religious school vouchers at taxpayer expense.

Here’s the letter:

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