WASHINGTON (ChurchMilitant.com) – Pro-life advocates are condemning Joe Biden’s pro-abortion nominee Dr. Robert Califf, who was recently tapped to lead America’s Food and Drug Administration.
The Susan B. Anthony List, a political arm of the pro-life movement, is denouncing the unelected president’s nomination of the former FDA commissioner to once again head the organization. At issue among guardians of the unborn is Califf’s extreme pro-abortion track record, specifically regarding chemical abortions.
In a statement published on Tuesday, Susan B. Anthony List president Marjorie Dannenfelser warned:
If confirmed, Califf will work hand in hand with Joe Biden, Xavier Becerra and the radical abortion lobby to make every mailbox, post office and pharmacy in America function as an abortion center. He must not be confirmed. Senators on both sides of the aisle should want to ensure that any new FDA commissioner will put the safety of women and children first.
Dannenfelser explained that Califf, as the agency’s chief under Obama, “directed the removal of reporting requirements for complications after chemical abortion, obscuring the real dangers of abortion drugs despite evidence that they are unsafe.”
The president of Students for Life of America, Kristan Hawkins, also underscored Califf’s disregard for women’s health, noting that during his tenure as FDA commissioner, the agency allowed abortion pills to be used at home — and as late as 10 weeks into a pregnancy.
Hawkins remarked on Tuesday:
Dr. Califf’s championing of chemical abortion without medical oversight — knowing the risks — proves he is motivated by political power, not the safety and well-being of the Americans he seeks to serve. Given the opportunity to lead the FDA once again, we fully expect Dr. Califf to continue his abuse of power and act as a radical abortion activist, disregarding the well-being of the American people.
Though the Senate confirmed Califf, a cardiologist, with a vote of 89–4 in 2016, receiving a nod from Congress’s upper chamber may not be as effortless this go-around.
Sen. Joe Manchin and Dr. Robert Califf
During Tuesday’s confirmation hearing, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., opposed the former director because of his current connections with the pharmaceutical industry and his handling of the opioid epidemic that was already raging during the Obama administration.
“We need a leader who is ready for reform in pursuit of improving public health outcomes, and Dr. Califf is not the candidate,” insisted Manchin.
A moderate Democrat, Manchin is one of the four senators who objected to Califf’s nomination six years ago.
The recent hearing, coincidentally, occurred the same week the FDA decided to lift a requirement that doctors hold in-person visits with women prior to prescribing them abortion pills. The disheartening move, which allows women to receive baby-killing “medicine” in the mail, sparked a response from USCCB Pro-Life Activities chairman, Abp. William Lori.
On Thursday, Lori spoke of the danger abortifacient pills pose to vulnerable women:
Every life is sacred — the lives of mothers and the lives of the unborn. Not only does this decision further the tragic taking of unborn lives, but it does little to care for the well-being of women in need. Far from the accompaniment that women in crisis pregnancies deserve, this decision would leave women alone in the midst of trauma, often without any medical attention or follow-up care.
The FDA approved chemical abortions in 2000. In 2019, of the 630,000 child-killing procedures (surgical and medical) performed in the United States, approximately 43% utilized abortion pills.
Despite the clear objections, pro-abortion Biden contended Califf is the one for the job. In a White House press release, fake-Catholic Biden stated, “Dr. Robert Califf is one of the most experienced clinical trialists in the country and has the experience and expertise to lead the Food and Drug Administration during a critical time in our nation’s fight to put an end to the coronavirus pandemic.”
A vote on Califf’s confirmation hasn’t been scheduled, but one is expected early next year. If confirmed, Califf would replace acting commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock.
