Pence presents ‘national pro-family strategy’ during Pray Vote Stand event

‘I think the fate of our nation is tied up in the cause of life. Save the babies and we’ll save America.’

Former Vice President Mike Pence speaks about the erosion of the traditional family at the Family Research Council’s Pray Vote Stand Summit at the Omni Shoreham Hotel.in Washington, D.C., on September 15, 2023. | The Christian Post/Nicole Alcindor

WASHINGTON — Former Vice President Mike Pence said he firmly believes “there’s no greater threat to America’s future than the collapse of the traditional family” as he outlined a “national pro-family strategy that will put the American family first” in his address at the Family Research Council’s Pray, Vote, Stand Summit on Friday.

Pence, who is seeking the Republican nomination for president in the 2024 presidential election, made his pitch to faith-based voters in the audience by declaring, “there’s no greater threat to America’s future than the collapse of the traditional family.”

Pence lamented that “the share of never-married adults has tripled since 1980,” in addition to expressing concern about “declining U.S. birth rates” and the drop in the number of children born per year by 600,000 between 2007 and 2019. He vowed that “we will elect leaders from the White House to the state house who will champion the traditional family without apology.”

He attributed the collapse of the traditional family to the philosophy of the “radical Left” that views the traditional family as “secondary to the state. They believe parents should have no rights in education. They believe the government should supplant the role of the family, literally, from the cradle to the grave.”

“I would submit to all of you, there has never been a time when renewing American families has been more urgent,” he declared. “If we want to strengthen America, we have to strengthen the American family. Strong families make strong communities and strong communities make a strong nation.”

Pence used his platform at the annual conference to unveil his “National Pro-Family Strategy” that will “rebuild the American family” and “put the American family first.”

The former vice president outlined his goals to “encourage marriage, childbirth and adoption with national policies in this country,” “end the radical Left’s assault on our kids and reject the transgender ideology that’s taken hold of our schools,” “give parents in every state the right to choose where their children go to school” and “restore the sanctity of life to the center of American law in every state in the land.”

“You should be able to raise a family in America on one income if you choose to do so,” Pence asserted. He recalled that in the 1980s, “it took 40 weeks for the average American to earn enough money to support their family for the year.” The former vice president contrasted the 1980s to today, where “one parent has to work all year long” to earn enough money to support a family.

Pence outlined economic policies he would like to pursue if elected that he viewed as necessary to help Americans achieve the goal of supporting a family: “We’ve got a plan to combat inflation. We’re going to shut down runaway government spending, put us back on a path of a balanced budget. We’re going to make it possible to lower interest rates on mortgages so more young families can live the American dream of home ownership.”

The former vice president also announced his intention to “make adoption affordable for every family in America.” He explained that “the high costs associated with adoption often discourage prospective families from even thinking about it,” adding, “the average adoption in this country costs about what the average income of Americans make every year.”

Pence signaled that if elected, he would “direct the Department of Health and Human Services to consolidate the current web of grants, incentives, direct benefits to a mission-focused goal of making adoption zero cost for every American family.” Another priority Pence listed as part of his agenda was protecting children from “radical transgender ideology taking hold in our schools.”

“As your president, I promise you, we will end the Left’s assault on women’s sports,” Pence stated. “And on day one, I’ll reverse Joe Biden’s policies that promote transgender child procedures and surgeries everywhere in America.”

In addition, Pence proclaimed that “we will block federal funds to any hospital or healthcare provider that conducts surgical or chemical reassignment on children under the age of 18.” He signaled his intention to “restore parents’ rights in education in every state in America” as part of a commitment to “recognize that families don’t co-parent with the government.”

“If I get to be your president, we’re going to shut down the federal Department of Education; we’re going to board it up; we’re going to send all the money back to the states so they can expand educational choice to every parent in America.”

Pence concluded his remarks about his “pro-family strategy” by reiterating his previous call for a 15-week abortion ban at the federal level to ensure that late-term abortions do not happen anywhere in the U.S.: “I think the fate of our nation is tied up in the cause of life. Save the babies and we’ll save America.”

The former vice president also issued a call to action to the audience: “If America is to survive, we have to strengthen our families and stand by the cause of life. We have to stand up for families. And all of you, as you’re doing today, have to continue to prepare to vote for men and women who share your values without apology.”