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October 9, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) — For the third year in a row, President Donald Trump has recognized October’s Down Syndrome Awareness Month with a statement calling for every American to be embraced regardless of the medical challenges he faces, including explicit condemnation of targeting babies with Down’s via abortion.

Down syndrome, or Trisomy 21, is a genetic disorder typically associated with physical growth delays, distinct facial traits, and often intellectual disability. Despite these challenges, a 2011 study published in the American Journal of Medical Genetics found that 99% of people with Down syndrome described themselves as “happy,” and only 4% of parents with children with Down’s expressed regret about having their children.

“We thank individuals with Down syndrome for their incredible contributions to their families, their communities, and our great Nation, and we pledge to empower them to achieve their full potential,” Trump said in the October 1 statement. “My Administration also renews its commitment to bring attention to and a deeper understanding of the challenges these remarkable Americans face, including their struggle against discrimination. Those thought to have Down syndrome also risk being subjected to the too-often terminations of their lives before birth.”

The president declared that his administration is “dedicated to fostering opportunities” for Americans with Down syndrome, calling for them to be “embraced in schools, workplaces, and communities.”

“Every human life possesses immeasurable value, and my Administration will continue to embrace and defend the inherent truth that all of God’s children should be loved and cherished,” he said. “This month is an important opportunity for Americans to reaffirm our commitment to creating a society that better appreciates and respects the dignity of life at all of its beautiful and miraculous stages. We must devote our efforts to ensure that the United States continues to exhibit reverence for human life — both born and unborn.”

The president’s words stand in stark contrast to common practice around the world of aborting preborn children specifically because they have been diagnosed with Trisomy 21.

The pro-life Charlotte Lozier Institute estimates that abortion reduces the Down’s community in the United States by 30%. It has been estimated that 90% of babies in Great Britain to receive a Down syndrome diagnosis are aborted, 65% in Norway, virtually 100% in Iceland, and 95% in Spain.

In May, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a pro-abortion bid to review Indiana’s ban on abortions specifically sought due to characteristics such as Down syndrome, which did not conclusively settle the issue but signaled to the states that the current justices will not prevent them from enactign similar bans.