    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 134, 116th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Proclamation 9978 of January 21, 2020
    National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 2020
    By the President of the United States of America
    A Proclamation
    Every person--the born and unborn, the poor, the downcast, the disabled,
    the infirm, and the elderly--has inherent value. Although each journey
    is different, no life is without worth or is inconsequential; the rights
    of all people must be defended. On National Sanctity of Human Life Day,
    our Nation proudly and strongly reaffirms our commitment to protect the
    precious gift of life at every stage, from conception to natural death.
    Recently, we have seen decreases in the total number and rate of
    abortions in our country. From 2007-2016, the most recent period of
    analysis, the number and rate of abortions decreased by 24 percent and
    26 percent, respectively. The rate of teen pregnancies--the vast
    majority of which are unplanned--has almost continuously decreased over
    the last quarter century, contributing to the lowest rate of abortions
    among adolescents since the legalization of abortion in 1973. All
    Americans should celebrate this decline in the number and rate of
    abortions, which represents lives saved. Still, there is more to be
    done, and, as President, I will continue to fight to protect the lives
    of the unborn. I signed into law legislation under the Congressional
    Review Act that allows States and other grantees to exclude
    organizations that perform abortions from their Title X projects. My
    Administration has also issued regulations to ensure Title X family
    planning projects are clearly separated from those that perform,
    promote, or refer for abortion as a method of family planning; to
    protect the conscience rights of healthcare workers and organizations,
    including with respect to abortion; and to ensure the Federal Government
    does not force employers that object, based on religious belief or moral
    conviction, to provide insurance for contraceptives, including those
    they believe cause early abortions. Additionally, I have called on the
    Congress to act to prohibit abortions of later-term babies who can feel
    pain.
    My Administration is also building an international coalition to dispel
    the concept of abortion as a fundamental human right. So far, 24 nations
    representing more than a billion people have joined this important
    cause. We oppose any projects that attempt to assert a global right to
    taxpayer-funded abortion on demand, up to the moment of delivery. And we
    will never tire of defending innocent life--at home or abroad.
    As a Nation, we must remain steadfastly dedicated to the profound truth
    that all life is a gift from God, who endows every person with
    immeasurable worth and potential. Countless Americans are tireless
    defenders of life and champions for the vulnerable among us. We are
    grateful for those who support women experiencing unexpected
    pregnancies, those who provide healing to women who have had abortions,
    and those who welcome children into their homes through foster care and
    adoption. On National Sanctity of Human Life Day, we celebrate the
    wonderful gift of life and renew our resolve to build a culture where
    life is always revered.
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
    America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Con-

    [[Page 5157]]

    stitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January
    22, 2020, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. Today, I call on the
    Congress to join me in protecting and defending the dignity of every
    human life, including those not yet born. I call on the American people
    to continue to care for women in unexpected pregnancies and to support
    adoption and foster care in a more meaningful way, so every child can
    have a loving home. And finally, I ask every citizen of this great
    Nation to listen to the sound of silence caused by a generation lost to
    us, and then to raise their voices for all affected by abortion, both
    seen and unseen.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-first day of
    January, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty, and of the
    Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
    fourth.
    DONALD J. TRUMP