(Official Washington Examiner editorial, April 19) President Joe Biden‘s Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is proposing a new rule that indulges three of its most ignoble habits in a single move.
The rule would not merely allow but promote abortion, it would violate the religious liberty of employers, and it would make a mockery of congressional intent and of a law’s plain meaning.
The rule pertains to the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in 2022 as part of a government funding bill. The law requires most employers to “make reasonable accommodations” for workers for “pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.” When the legislation was a stand-alone bill, it was co-sponsored by Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE), Tom Cole (R-OK), Michael McCaul (R-TX), and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), all of whom have perfect ratings from the National Right-to-Life Committee and zero or near-zero ratings from pro-abortion activists.
The bill passed a Senate committee 19-2 and half of all House Republicans supported it without any suggestion that it would lead to expanded abortion mandates. It was seen as a way to promote healthy childbirth, not to curtail it.
The EEOC wants to turn the law upside down. Its proposed rule would require businesses with 15 workers or more to provide leave to staff getting abortions, and it could punish business owners who express pro-life views. This is abominable. As Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) said, “Abortion is not a medical condition related to pregnancy — it is the opposite.” Rather than being a “medical condition,” abortion is a voluntary action to end the condition of pregnancy.
That’s why dedicated pro-life members of Congress voted for the bill: It was pro-pregnancy, not pro-abortion. It put no roadblocks in the way of women having abortions, but it was not intended to force businesses to support them…. [The full editorial is at this link.]
