Life will remain defining — and winning — issue for conservatives

OPINION:

As tens of thousands gather on the National Mall for the first March for Life since the conservative majority on the Supreme Court righted the historic wrong of Roe v. Wade, we come to a time of great promise and opportunity in the cause of life.

The right to life has both defined and animated the conservative movement since the days of President Ronald Reagan. For more than 40 years, the pro-life cause has been the glue that binds together all factions of the modern conservative coalition. Now, a new era in American history is beginning in which all human beings, born and unborn, can once again be cherished in life and protected by law. 

But the battle for life is far from over. We have only reached the end of the beginning.

Now is not the time for our leaders to be hesitant or indecisive. We did not arrive at the dawn of a post-Roe America by being timid. We got here through perseverance, passion, hard work and faith. Now, as we move forward, we must have the courage of our convictions. 

The conservative movement must continue to push forward ambitiously until the scourge of abortion is purged from our society and respect for the sanctity of life is returned to the center of American law in every state in the nation.

Our new Republican majority in Congress has embraced this ambitious approach by passing the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, sending a resounding message that Republicans will continue to defend life.

In the weeks ahead, I encourage conservatives in Congress to also work to end federal taxpayer funding of abortion once and for all and to reinstate the ban on funding for Planned Parenthood implemented under the Trump-Pence administration. To prevent liberal politicians from erasing our progress, conservatives should pass a law permanently banning funding for abortions overseas. Here at home, we should adopt strong gestational limits that outlaw abortion once a heartbeat is detected or an unborn child is capable of feeling pain.

Second, conservatives should work to end all federal funding of destructive fetal tissue research, which treats the bodies of aborted unborn children like a commodity. Instead, we should support ethical, non-destructive research using adult stem cells.

Finally, conservatives must remember that to be truly pro-life, we must also be pro-adoption. That’s why we must end the assault on faith-based adoption and foster care agencies that exclusively place children into families with one male father and one female mother. Conservatives should also work with state and local governments, churches, and nonprofit organizations to promote adoption, foster care and crisis pregnancy centers.

History has proved that when Republicans stand for life unapologetically and contrast our commonsense positions with the extremism of the pro-abortion left, voters reward us with victories at the ballot box.

I encourage conservatives to keep pushing forward at the dawn of this new era. If we stick to our principles and proudly champion the cause of life, we will win more than elections — we will save the lives of precious unborn children created in the image of God.

• Mike Pence served as vice president of the United States and is the founder of Advancing American Freedom.