An increasing proportion of Americans oppose tax dollars going to support abortions abroad. This survey, commissioned by the Knights of Columbus, shows significant areas of consensus on matters of abortion.

“While the number of people who identify as ‘pro-life’ and ‘pro-choice’ tends to fluctuate with the public debate, when given a broader choice of policy options, there is a strong consensus among Americans on abortion” says Dr. Barbara Carvalho, Director of The Marist Poll. “Survey results reveal support for abortion restrictions and an aversion for use of taxpayer funding for abortions abroad.”

“Amidst the harsh political divides in our country, clear bipartisan majorities support abortion restrictions and do not want their tax dollars paying for abortion abroad. Our polling has shown consistently over the past decade that policies that promote abortion on demand paid for by taxpayers are divisive and out of step with American public opinion,” stated Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus. “The American people show consensus and restraint on this issue, and we hope that our elected officials and policy makers will heed this call for unity when there is far too much that divides us in our politics today,” added Anderson.

Key Findings:

• More than three quarters of Americans (76%), including a majority who identify as pro-choice, want significant restrictions on abortion.
• 77% of those polled either “oppose” or “strongly oppose” using tax dollars to support international abortion – this is up from 75% who answered similarly each of the past two years. (Democrat – 55%, Republican – 95%, Independent – 85%)
• Only 19% of Americans either “support” or “strongly support” funding abortions outside the US, while another 4% are unsure.
• Even among those who identify themselves as “pro-choice” in the current poll, over six in 10 (64%) say they are opposed to using tax dollars to support abortion in other countries.
• A majority of Americans (58%) oppose using taxpayer money to fund abortions within the United States. (Democrat – 31%, Republican – 83%, Independent – 65%)

For more information on the poll, please see:

• http://www.kofc.org/en/resources/news-room/polls/kofc-americans-opinions-onabortion012021.pdf
• http://www.kofc.org/en/resources/news-room/polls/kofc-national-survey-withtables012021.pdf

Source: Knights of Columbus