{"id":2170098,"date":"2024-02-07T10:53:06","date_gmt":"2024-02-07T15:53:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rep-chris-smith-sounds-alarm-on-who-pandemic-treaty-over-abortion-on-demand\/"},"modified":"2024-02-07T10:57:18","modified_gmt":"2024-02-07T15:57:18","slug":"rep-chris-smith-sounds-alarm-on-who-pandemic-treaty-over-abortion-on-demand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rep-chris-smith-sounds-alarm-on-who-pandemic-treaty-over-abortion-on-demand\/","title":{"rendered":"Rep. Chris Smith raises concerns about the WHO &#8216;pandemic treaty&#8217; due to potential &#8216;abortion on demand"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frep-chris-smith-sounds-alarm-on-who-pandemic-treaty-over-abortion-on-demand%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2170098&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Rep. Chris Smith Raises Concerns \u200cOver WHO&#8217;s \u2062&#8221;Pandemic Treaty&#8221;<\/h2>\n<p>Rep. Chris\u2064 Smith\u200d (R-NJ) has expressed alarm \u200cover the World Health Organization&#8217;s \u200dproposed &#8220;pandemic treaty,&#8221; citing its potential infringement on national sovereignty and the organization&#8217;s stance on abortion. Smith,\u200c along with Rep. \u200dBrad Wenstrup (R-OH)\u2064 and several experts, held a press briefing to shed\u200d light on\u200b the dangers posed by the treaty,\u2064 which is set \u200bfor a vote\u200b on May 27.<\/p>\n<h3>Threats to American Independence and Rights<\/h3>\n<p>The WHO&#8217;s Pandemic \u2064Agreement aims to strengthen global pandemic prevention and response by\u200c establishing a binding agreement among countries. However, Smith highlighted several problematic aspects of the treaty, including \u200da \u2062provision that member countries must \u2062maintain \u200caccess to &#8220;essential \u200bhealth services&#8221; during pandemics, which \u2063the WHO interprets as including abortion.<\/p>\n<p>Smith, chairman \u2063of the Subcommittee on\u2062 Global Health,\u2063 Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, \u2064emphasized that the WHO \u2064considers\u2064 abortion to be a human\u2063 right, \u2064as stated on their website. \u200bHe expressed concern that the international agreement \u200dwould compel \u200dmember countries \u2063to \u200csupport &#8220;abortion on\u200c demand,&#8221; a position the\u200d WHO \u2063seems ready to \u2063endorse.<\/p>\n<h3>WHO&#8217;s Advocacy \u2064for Abortion<\/h3>\n<p>Last summer, the WHO \u2062intensified\u200c its support for legal abortion\u2062 by signing\u200d a Memorandum of Understanding aimed \u200cat promoting abortion access\u2062 in \u200bEurope. \u2062It also granted &#8220;official relations&#8221; \u2062status to the International Planned Parenthood Federation, an organization advocating for late-term abortion. In May, \u2062the WHO\u2062 will\u2064 vote\u200b on granting the same status to the Center for Reproductive Rights, another legal abortion\u200c advocacy \u2062group.<\/p>\n<p>Smith criticized \u2064these actions, stating \u200bthat both the \u2063WHO and these organizations actively lobby for \u2062changes in law to promote unrestricted abortion. He highlighted\u200c a\u200b letter from a coalition of 33 anti-abortion organizations urging the WHO to refrain \u2062from \u2064partnering with the Center for Reproductive Rights, citing their extensive efforts to undermine laws protecting unborn children.<\/p>\n<h3>Concerns Over\u2064 Funding and Disinformation<\/h3>\n<p>The\u2063 agreement \u200calso raises questions about funding, as \u200bmember countries \u2064will be required to contribute\u2062 financially. However,\u200d the specifics of\u2062 the\u200c funding mechanism remain unclear until the end of 2026, after the agreement is adopted.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, the treaty calls for efforts to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/x-to-allow-political-ads-ahead-of-2024-elections\/\" title=\"X to permit political advertisements before 2024 elections.\">combat false\u200b information<\/a>, which has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/musks-new-project\/\" title=\"Musk\u2019s new project\">drawn criticism due<\/a> \u200cto the \u2063WHO&#8217;s own handling\u2062 of COVID-19 and its \u2063dissemination\u200d of\u200b talking points from\u2062 China. Smith expressed concern that this clause \u200bon &#8220;disinformation&#8221; could stifle dissent from scientists and doctors who disagree\u2064 with\u200c the WHO&#8217;s conclusions.<\/p>\n<p>Smith called on the Biden \u2063administration \u2062to ensure that the treaty is \u2064submitted to the Senate for constitutional advice and consent, emphasizing\u200b that bypassing the Senate would be\u200c a significant \u200bmistake.<\/p>\n<p>The \u2062WHO did not \u200drespond to a request for comment from the Washington Examiner.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How could the production \u200dof this provision in\u2062 the treaty potentially override countries&#8217; own\u2064 laws and cultural\u200b norms regarding abortion services?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Roduction of this\u200b provision in\u2063 the treaty could potentially force countries to provide abortion services,\u2064 even if it contradicts\u2063 their own laws and cultural norms.<\/p>\n<p>Smith further raised concerns about the infringement \u2062on national \u200csovereignty that the\u2063 treaty could \u200bentail. \u200cThe treaty proposes the establishment of a WHO body with the power to \u200dinvestigate and assess countries&#8217;\u2064 pandemic responses, as well as to make recommendations for \u200daction. Smith \u2064worries that this could lead to a loss of autonomy for\u2064 individual nations, with\u2064 decisions about their\u2063 pandemic \u2064response being overridden \u200dby\u200b an international organization.<\/p>\n<h3>The Need for Congressional Oversight<\/h3>\n<p>In light of these concerns, \u2064Smith stressed the importance of congressional oversight in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/listen-elon-musk-presses-robinhood-ceo-about-gamestop-fiasco-restricted-trading\/\" title=\"LISTEN: Elon Musk Presses Robinhood CEO About GameStop Fiasco, Restricted Trading\">decision-making process<\/a>. He argued that such a \u200bsignificant agreement should not be made without the input and consent of the American \u2063people through their elected representatives. Smith called for transparency and accountability, urging Congress to thoroughly review the treaty and its implications before moving forward.<\/p>\n<p>During the\u2064 press briefing, Rep.\u200b Brad Wenstrup echoed Smith&#8217;s\u2062 concerns and emphasized the need for a balanced approach. He\u200c suggested that while \u200dglobal cooperation is crucial in pandemic response, it should not come at\u200d the expense of\u2062 national sovereignty and individual rights. Wenstrup emphasized the importance of respecting\u2063 the diversity of cultural and \u2064legal frameworks across countries, rather \u200dthan\u2063 imposing\u2062 a one-size-fits-all solution.<\/p>\n<h3>Expert \u2063Opinions<\/h3>\n<p>The press briefing also featured comments from several experts who \u2063shared their \u2062concerns about \u200dthe proposed treaty. Dr. \u2063David \u2063Prentice, Vice\u200b President of the\u2063 Charlotte Lozier Institute, highlighted the potential conflict\u200d between the treaty \u2062and the Hyde \u2064Amendment, which prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions. He warned that if the treaty is ratified, \u2063it \u2063could create pressure for the\u200c U.S. to provide funding for\u200b abortion \u200bservices globally, even against the \u200cwishes of American taxpayers.<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca Oas,\u200b Ph.D., Associate Director of Research for the Center for Family and \u2064Human Rights (C-Fam), raised concerns about the\u2062 impact of the \u2062treaty on the rights of healthcare providers who have \u200cconscientious objections to providing abortion services. She argued that the treaty&#8217;s interpretation \u200cof &#8220;essential health\u200c services&#8221; could undermine the rights of\u200d medical professionals\u2063 who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/vp-harris-claims-you-can-hold-pro-life-beliefs-and-still-be-pro-abortion\/\" title=\"VP Harris Claims You Can Hold Pro-Life Beliefs And Still Be Pro-Abortion\">hold pro-life beliefs<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>A Call for Caution and Consideration<\/h3>\n<p>In \u200cconclusion, Rep. Chris Smith and other experts warn about the potential threats posed\u2064 by\u2064 the World Health Organization&#8217;s proposed pandemic treaty. They highlight concerns about the treaty&#8217;s interpretation of &#8220;essential \u200bhealth services,&#8221; which may include abortion, as well as worries about \u200bthe infringement on national sovereignty and individual rights. They call\u200c for\u2062 transparency, accountability, and congressional oversight in the\u200c decision-making process. This treaty, if ratified, \u200dcould \u200bhave far-reaching implications, and it \u2063is vital to carefully consider and address these concerns before proceeding.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) raised concerns about the World Health Organization&#8217;s &#8220;pandemic treaty,&#8221; citing its encroachment on national sovereignty and the organization&#8217;s belief that &#8220;abortion on demand&#8221; is a human right. Smith, along with Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) and experts, held a press briefing to discuss this development<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":179,"featured_media":2170099,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/ap-18153635357999.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2170098","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/ap-18153635357999.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2170098","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/179"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2170098"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2170098\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2170099"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2170098"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2170098"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2170098"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}