Newt Gingrich
Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1998; U.S. representative from Georgia from 1979 to 1998
Former Speaker Newt Gingrich has a long record of opposing a woman's right to choose.
- As a member of Congress, Gingrich voted anti-choice 72 times - out of 74 opportunities.
- He voted for "personhood" rights, which would make abortion and many forms of birth control illegal. 1
- He voted 10 times to bar the city of Washington, D.C., from using its own locally raised tax dollars to provide abortion care to low-income women. 2
- He voted to eliminate the nation's family-planning program, Title X. This is the same attack that the U.S. House of Representatives advanced in 2011. 3
Former Speaker Gingrich has aligned himself with the same lawmakers who are waging the War on Women, and promises to be an active anti-choice president:
- "You had a great speaker last year in Mike Pence and I want to say I strongly endorse his cutting out all funding for Planned Parenthood, which has become a major source of abortion in America." 4
- During a debate in Iowa with other Republican presidential candidates, he said, “I, in fact, would like to see us go much further… and eliminate abortions as a choice.” 5
- He vowed to push a “personhood” law through Congress, saying “That could once and for all recenter the debate where it ought to be.” 6
- He promised to reinstate the global gag rule and Federal Refusal Rule. 7
News & Updates
Former Speaker Gingrich and former Gov. Romney are attacking each other's anti-choice credentials in new ads in South Carolina. Don't be fooled. Neither will protect a woman's right to choose.
The GOP candidates have a lot to answer for when it comes to their positions on reproductive rights. Find out how to submit your questions for the debates on January 7 and 8.
In the run-up to the Iowa caucuses, the Republican presidential candidates touted their extreme anti-choice positions.
On Tuesday, December 27, Republican presidential aspirants Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Santorum are slated to participate in a radio forum sponsored by Personhood USA.
Two governors signed anti-choice bills into law this week, bringing the number of anti-choice measures enacted by states so far in 2011 to 69. The number more than doubles the attacks in 2010.
Footnotes
1 - Siljander amendment to Civil Rights Act of 1984, H.R.5490, 6/26/84; Dornan amendment to Fair Housing Act, H.R.1158, 6/29/88.
2 - Wilson amendment to District of Columbia Appropriations bill, H.R.4580, 7/17/79; Dixon motion to FY'86 District of Columbia Appropriations bill, H.R.3067, 7/30/85; Smith amendment to FY'86 District of Columbia Appropriations bill, H.R.3067, 7/30/85; Dornan amendment to FY'88 District of Columbia Appropriations bill, H.R.2713, 6/26/87; Dornan amendment to FY'89 District of Columbia Appropriations bill, H.R.4776, 6/28/88; Dornan motion to recommit FY'89 District of Columbia Appropriations bill, H.R.4776, 9/28/88; Dornan amendment to FY'90 District of Columbia Appropriations bill, H.R.3026, 8/2/89; FY'91 District of Columbia Appropriations conference report, H.R.5311, 10/25/90; FY'92 District of Columbia Appropriations conference report, H.R.2699, 8/1/91; FY'94 District of Columbia Appropriations bill, H.R.2492, 10/27/93.
3 - Livingston amendment to FY'96 Labor-Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill, H.R.2127, 8/2/95; Greenwood amendment to FY'96 Labor-Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill, H.R.2127, 8/2/95.
4 - Address at Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition, Newt Gingrich, March 7, 2011.
5 -Examiner.com, "Gingrich corrects Michele Bachmann's accusations," December 16, 2011
6 -Los Angeles Times, “Candidates tout antiabortion views before Iowa film premiere,” Dec. 14, 2011.
7 – The Hill, “GOP candidates slam Obama, Planned Parenthood at abortion forum,” Dec. 14, 2011.
Please credit NARAL Pro-Choice America as the source for the information on this page. If you have additional questions about the candidates’ positions, please contact the communications department at 202-973-3032 or Media@ProChoiceAmerica.org.
