Rick Santorum
U.S. senator from Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2007; U.S. representative from Pennsylvania from 1991 to 1995
Former Sen. Rick Santorum is an extreme anti-choice politician.
- During his time in the U.S. House of Representatives, Santorum cast 27 choice-related votes. All 27 were anti-choice. 1
- As a U.S. senator, he voted anti-choice 72 times out of 73 opportunities. 2
- As senator, Santorum authored the Federal Abortion Ban, a law that criminalizes some abortion services and carries a two-year prison sentence for doctors. 3
Former Sen. Santorum is a champion of the extreme anti-choice movement:
- He stated "I would advocate that any doctor that performs an abortion should be criminally charged for doing so." 4
- He made an outrageous comparison of abortion to slavery, saying, "For decades certain human beings were wrongly treated as property and denied liberty in America because they were not considered persons under the constitution. Today other human beings, the unborn of all races, are also wrongly treated as property and denied the right to life for the same reason…" 5
- At an anti-choice forum, Sen. Santorum claimed credit for every extreme attack on choice that passed the Senate in the last 20 years, boasting “I've been in the foxhole on the front line.” 6
Former Sen. Santorum even opposes women’s access to birth control:
- He pledged to repeal all federal funding for contraception. 7
- He stated that “One of the things I will talk about, that no president has talked about before, is I think the dangers of contraception in this country. It’s not okay. It’s a license to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be.” 8
News & Updates
Rick Santorum has recently tried to describe himself as supportive of birth control and family-planning services. This is not the case.
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.
Former Gov. Romney is not a moderate alternative to former Sen. Santorum when it comes to choice. Both hold extreme anti-choice views.
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.
Footnotes
1 - NARAL Pro-Choice America, Congressional Record on Choice (1991-2007).
2 - NARAL Pro-Choice America, Congressional Record on Choice (1991-2007).
Pro-choice Senate vote: Schumer amendment to Bankruptcy Reform Act, S.625, 2/2/00.
3 - Boxer amendment to "Partial-Birth" Abortion Ban Act, H.R.1833, 12/7/95; Feinstein amendment to "Partial-Birth" Abortion Ban Act, H.R.1833, 12/7/95; "Partial-Birth" Abortion Ban Act, H.R.1833, 12/7/95; vote to override veto of "Partial-Birth" Abortion Ban Act, H.R.1833, 9/26/96; Feinstein/Boxer amendment to "Partial-Birth" Abortion Ban Act, H.R.1122, 5/15/97; "Partial-Birth" Abortion Ban Act, H.R.1122, 5/20/97 (authored); vote to override veto of "Partial-Birth" Abortion Ban Act, H.R.1122, 9/18/98; "Partial-Birth" Abortion Ban Act, S.1692, 10/21/99 (authored); Feinstein amendment to "Partial-Birth" Abortion Ban Act, S.3, 3/12/03; "Partial-Birth" Abortion Ban Act, S.3, 3/13/03 (authored); "Partial-Birth" Abortion Ban Act, S.3, 10/21/03 (authored).
4 - MSNBC, Meet the Press transcript for June 12, 2011.
5 - Politico, Jennifer Epstein, "Rick Santorum plays race card on President Obama," January 20, 2011.
6 - Los Angeles Times, “Candidates tout antiabortion views before Iowa film premiere,” December 14, 2011.
7 - Think Progress, “Rick Santorum Pledges To Defund Contraception: ‘It’s Not Okay, It’s A License To Do Things,’” October 19, 2011.
8 - Ibid.
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.
