Every January since 1974 – the year after the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court Decision – Americans from across the country have gathered in Washington, D.C. to march and push Congress to find a solution to this heartbreaking decision. It is the largest pro-life rally in the country with over 100,000 participants in recent years. Families, schools, churches and communities from all over the U.S. travel to our nation’s capital to show their support for the sanctity of life and protections for the unborn. And, it appears to be working. CDC studies in recent years show that abortions are on the decline nationwide and Missouri continues to be a national leader in the pro-life movement. Last year, Missouri’s abortion rate dropped by an incredible 54%.

Thankfully, there are many pro-life advocates both in Congress and the White House. I’m grateful to have a President who shares my views on the preciousness of human life from the moment of conception. This year, President Trump has declared January 22 – the 47th anniversary of Roe v. Wade – as “National Sanctity of Human Life Day.” President Trump and pro-life members of Congress have successfully stopped funding the abortion industry overseas, cut Planned Parenthood’s funding by $60 million, strengthened conscience protection rights, and the Republican Senate has confirmed a record number of pro-life judges, including two Supreme Court Justices.

I’m a proud co-sponsor of over 30 pieces of pro-life legislation that include defunding planned parenthood, prohibiting abortions after twenty weeks when a child can feel pain, and banning abortion based solely on a child’s gender or mental disability. I have also introduced a bill, the Protecting Life and Integrity Act, which prohibits the National Institute of Health from conducting research on human body parts or tissue from aborted children. Recent court hearings involving Planned Parenthood officials confirmed what we have known for a long time: the abortion industry has profited from the sale of human body parts. My bill would end this horrific practice and encourage the NIH to support alternative research methods.

We are fortunate to live in a society that values human life – especially here in Missouri. I’m so grateful to the thousands of Missourians who travel all the way to Washington, D.C. every year to show their support for our most vulnerable population: the unborn. These innocent babies have a right to the gift of life, and I am proud to fight alongside so many Missourians to protect that right.