ALBANY, New York (LifeSiteNews) — The self-professed Catholic governor of New York on Wednesday announced spending of $13 million in taxpayer cash to bankroll abortion access.
The move comes as the state’s Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, like California Gov. Gavin Newsom, has pledged to expand access to abortion even as pro-life states across the country pass laws protecting the preborn.
Gov. Hochul made the announcement in an October 12 press release, in which she affirmed that the Democrat-led Empire State “is committed to protecting reproductive rights, and as other states wage a war on abortion access, we will continue to be a safe harbor.”
NEW: We just awarded $13.4 million in grants to abortion providers — with our Abortion Provider Support Fund now supporting a total of 50 organizations throughout New York.
Access to abortion is a human right, and in New York, we’ll always defend that right.
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) October 12, 2022
Hochul’s comments echo similar statements from Gov. Newsom in California, who recently signed a radical legislative package of pro-abortion measures expressly designed to combat pro-life laws in Republican-led states.
In the press statement, Hochul argued that “[t]o ensure access to reproductive health care, we must provide the resources and support providers need.”
“I will not stand by and allow women to be subjected to government-mandated pregnancies,” she added.
It’s unclear what specific legislation Hochul was referring to that would mandate pregnancy. None of the laws outlawing the murder of preborn babies require a woman to become pregnant.
The governor’s office did not immediately respond to LifeSite’s request for comment.
READ: LIVE UPDATES – Most abortions are banned in 13 states, more states to follow
The $13.4 million announced by Hochul will go to support 37 abortion providers at 64 sites and represents the second round of pro-abortion spending from Hochul’s administration.
According to the press release, “[t]he second round of funding builds on the Governor’s commitment to ensure safe abortion access for all New Yorkers by expanded eligibility to include family planning providers that were not awarded funding during phase one, other licensed healthcare providers, and independent clinics.”
Recipients of this round of government backing either weren’t eligible or didn’t apply for the first round, which was sent out in May shortly after the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization was leaked.
The first round of taxpayer funding for abortion consisted of $10 million that went to 13 programs at 63 sites.
“While the Supreme Court took away the rights of millions of women across the country, New York continues to provide a safe harbor for any woman who needs the comfort, safety and support to make her own choice,” Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado said of the first round of abortion funding.
Democrat leaders like Hochul and Newsom have explicitly used language referring to their states as “safe harbors” or “sanctuaries” in a bid to distinguish themselves from pro-life states, which they have characterized as cracking down on women’s freedom by establishing legislative safeguards for preborn babies.
In June, just weeks before the Supreme Court’s landmark decision to eliminate the federal “right to abortion” by overruling Roe v. Wade, Hochul made headlines for calling pro-lifers “Neanderthals” who “think women are not entitled to” the rights to “freedom and liberty.”
On the opposite side of the country, Gov. Newsom has repeatedly promised to “fight like hell” to protect abortion access in the Golden State and accused pro-life lawmakers of seeking to “criminalize women” by protecting the lives of infants in the womb.