In a letter released this week, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., voiced support for a proposed Biden administration policy which seeks to defund pro-life pregnancy centers.
Referring to the centers as “crisis pregnancy centers,” the congresswoman joined Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., in touting a proposed federal rule which would “restrict the flow of federal tax dollars” to pro-life pregnancy centers.
In her letter, Congresswoman Craig attacked the pregnancy centers, saying they “fraudulently market themselves to pregnant women at one of the most vulnerable and difficult moments of their lives by presenting themselves as legitimate reproductive healthcare clinics offering medical services.”
According to Rep. Craig, “women are exposed to biased counseling and misinformation” at these pregnancy centers. Further, Craig’s letter said “deceptive practices by these centers are not only unethical, but they also pose significant threats to women’s health and well-being. They place women at risk by disseminating inaccurate medical information.”
In reality, pro-life pregnancy centers provide a variety of essential services to women, families, and children, born and unborn. In Minnesota, pro-life pregnancy centers such as First Care Pregnancy Center offer free pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, STD testing, adoption services, prenatal classes, parenting education, counseling services, and clothes and diapers for infants.
Furthermore, First Care’s multiple locations throughout the state are “equipped with social workers, nurses, and trained staff who provide free pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, pregnancy-related counseling, referrals, resources, and more.”
In her letter attacking these pro-life centers, Rep. Craig said that “federal taxpayer dollars should not be used by states to fund centers that put women’s lives at risk.”
Congresswoman Craig represents the most closely contested congressional seat in Minnesota. Furthermore, abortion will be one of the most widely-discussed topics during the 2024 elections. As such, Rep. Craig’s letter could be seen as an election year virtue-signal to the fervent, pro-abortion forces that steer the Democratic Party and politicians like herself.
In Minnesota, pro-life pregnancy centers received state funding for years. However, all that changed when Democrats took control of state government after the 2022 elections. In 2023, Democrats in St. Paul defunded the “Positive Alternatives Program,” which helped pregnancy centers provide material support to expecting mothers, and legalized abortion through all nine months of pregnancy.
A zealous supporter of abortion, Rep. Craig denounced the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June of 2022. The congresswoman, who is a human resources executive by trade, is currently seeking reelection to her seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
