Protecting Life and Religious Liberty

Advancing Pro-life Policies

  • Senator Blunt supports a federal ban on late-term abortions, in addition to new policies that would make it a crime for individuals to transport a minor across state lines to circumvent state parental notification laws on abortion
  • Senator Blunt is an original cosponsor of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would prohibit elective abortions after the fifth month of pregnancy due to the child’s ability to feel pain
  • Senator Blunt has long-supported the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, a bill that would finally put an end to all federal subsidies for abortion, including those in the president’s flawed health care law
  • Senator Blunt joined 173 of his Senate and House colleagues in filing an amicus brief in the case of Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt supporting the right of state legislatures to hold abortion providers to the same health and safety standards as other medical facilities

Stopping Anti-Religious Liberty Obamacare Mandates

  • Senator Blunt believes ObamaCare’s so-called HHS mandate is an enormous government overreach that violates Americans’ constitutional rights, and that employers should not be forced to choose between giving up their business for their faith or giving up their faith for their business
  • In 2012, Senator Blunt introduced and led the fight on the Senate floor for the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act, a bill that would have reaffirmed all Americans’ constitutional protections against discrimination, penalty, or exclusion from the health care market for exercising their rights of conscience

Protecting the Freedom of Religion Abroad

  • In response to growing threats against people of faith abroad, Senator Blunt introduced the Near East and South Central Asia Religious Freedom Act, which President Obama signed into law in 2014 (Public Law 113-161) 
  • The law encouraged the president to appoint a special envoy to promote religious freedom among religious minorities in the Middle East, which he did in September of 2015  
  • Senator Blunt vocally advocated for the release of imprisoned American pastor Saeed Abedini, and previously offered an amendment to the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act that would have made any agreement with Iran contingent upon the release of Pastor Abedini and other Americans imprisoned in Iran 
  • Senator Blunt was closely involved in successful efforts to release a Sudanese Christian, Meriam Ibrahim, and her child from imprisonment in 2014

 Funding Women’s Health, Not Planned Parenthood

  • Senator Blunt voted for S. 1881 on August 3, 2015, because he believes Planned Parenthood is not the right place for any federal dollars 
  • Senator Blunt supports ending taxpayer subsidies to the nation’s largest provider of abortions and wants to ensure every dollar taken away from Planned Parenthood will go toward women’s health care through our community health centers and other providers