Abortion may seem an unlikely topic for the U.S. Senate Committee on the Budget to tackle but committee chairman Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) said in his opening statement that “Reproductive rights … are intrinsically tied to economic opportunity.”
It is possible to measure economic harm from dismantling Roe v. Wade, he said of the Supreme Court decision that returned abortion access policy back to state control.
“The Dobbs decision triggered an immediate crisis for millions of women as antiquated state bans snapped back into place, and some states implemented new restrictions on reproductive freedom,” Mr. Whitehouse said on Wednesday.
“Reproductive freedom and choice, including abortions and contraception … increases the probability that women attend college and boosts local economies. Freedom turns out to have economic value,” he said.
Committee Ranking Member Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) responded that abortion is a moral and legal issue that does not lend itself to being looked at solely through an economic lens.
“After all, life is priceless,” Mr. Grassley said. “There’s a reason this committee historically hasn’t delved into this issue. It’s not an issue easily distilled down to dollars and cents, typical of budget issues that this committee normally works on. In fact, it is rather dehumanizing.”
Numerous programs exist at the federal, state, and local levels to help women, children, and families in need, he said, adding that Congress should focus on reforms that increase coordination between all the federal programs and simplify access to these programs. And it should eliminate marriage penalties in tax laws.
“Yes, having and raising children has cost. But so does abortion on demand, and a culture that lacks respect for life,” Mr. Grassley said amid an influx of illegal immigrants seeking asylum in the United States, who have the support of many Democrats who believe that helping them is the right thing to do despite the upfront cost.
“I’m pro-life, pro-family, pro-woman. These views are not in conflict,” Mr. Grassley said of his position.
By Beth Brelje
