For 50 years, the pro-life movement has persevered through opposition and attacks of various forms, challenging outdated abortion laws and the most destructive legal decision in American history, Roe v. Wade.     

But in the time since Dobbs came down, we’ve experienced a whole new level of pro-abortion activism attempting to distract from a radical abortion agenda by painting the pro-life movement as extreme. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, since Roe’s overturn, some on the pro-abortion side have followed through on their promise of a “Summer of Rage,” vandalizing and even firebombing pregnancy resource centers, which provide countless free resources for women in need.     

As if that’s not radical enough, a glance at Democrats’ recent abortion legislation in Congress leaves no room for questioning their extremism on the issue. These abortion zealots are shamelessly pushing legislation that would legalize abortion through all nine months of pregnancy and force Americans, including pro-life and religious Americans, to fund abortion through their taxes. 

The Women’s Health Protection Act would do just this, and it was recently approved by all but one Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives and all but one Democrat in the U.S. Senate. Had it become law, it would have gone far beyond what was permitted under Roe v. Wade by nullifying popular, common-sense pro-life state laws. It would have done away with limits on painful late-term abortions, parental consent laws, and bans against discriminatory abortions based on sex or disability. 

On top of that, Democrats in the House also led passage of the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act, a bill that could prevent commonsense regulation of chemical abortion by mail, a method known for the danger it poses to women because it bypasses in-person medical pre-screening requirements. The bill also has the capacity to shield child abusers and sexual predators from being charged for transporting women or girls across state lines for abortions.    

Democrats are wildly out of touch with the American public on the issue of abortion. When told that Roe permitted abortion up to birth, 56% of Americans say they would strongly oppose it. Meanwhile, 71% of Americans support limiting abortion to the first three months of pregnancy, according to a recent Marist poll. Not only do 76% of Americans favor the maternity homes and pregnancy resource centers which supply women with countless free resources, but 78% of Republicans and even a surprising 73% of Democrats said they supported public funding for such centers after learning about the services that they provide. These are the same organizations that far-left Democrats such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have threatened to shut down through federal action.

Clearly, the pro-abortion movement is misinformed or doesn’t care about mainstream sentiment regarding abortion.   

As an alternative to these unpopular proposals, the pro-life movement offers expecting mothers practical solutions so they can choose life. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, for example, signed two bills to boost pregnancy centers and other community efforts to protect pregnant women in the state.  

He also established a generous $3.5 million tax credit for donations to pregnancy resource centers, like the one that helped a young Mississippi woman named DaChiron when she discovered she was pregnant as a senior in college and knew she wanted to keep her baby. Through the help of the center, DaChiron not only carried two unexpected pregnancies to term, but also achieved her college degree, married her baby’s father, went to graduate school, and is currently pursuing a doctorate in public health in addition to volunteering at the clinic in her free time.  

Countless stories like DaChiron’s witness to the powerful force of the pro-life movement, that uplifts both baby and mom with resources, assistance with their education, as well as financial support and love. Nationally, these pregnancy centers provided nearly $270 million in free resources to nearly 2 million women in 2019 alone. Their efforts to help women in difficult circumstances are now more important than ever – and they are rising to the challenge.  

In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott approved $100 million for the next two years for the state’s Alternatives to Abortion program, which offers resources, care and financial support through a statewide network of nearly 200 pregnancy centers and maternity homes that help expecting moms and their families throughout their pregnancies, and after.   

Similarly, Indiana Senate Bill 2, which recently passed with bipartisan support, included provisions that would eliminate the 7% sales tax on diapers, raise the state’s adoption tax credit from $1,000 to $2,500 and allocate $45 million to the “Hoosier Fund” which supports women and families who want to choose life, including public funding for pregnancy resources centers. The law will also work with the Child Care and Development Fund to give $10 million for childcare vouchers and will allot an additional $5.5 million to a program aimed at reducing infant mortality. 

Sadly, the pro-abortion movement offers little assistance to the American women they claim to champion while attempting to undermine the pro-life cause’s noble efforts to support both mother and child. Despite these attacks, advocates for life must continue to offer women and their families the care they need and deserve.  

• Jeanne Mancini is the President of March for Life 

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