WASHINGTON — Republican lawmakers demanded that the U.S. Senate end its business relationship with Citigroup in retaliation for the bank’s policy of paying travel expenses for employees' out-of-state abortions.
Republicans, led by Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., in a letter dated Thursday called on the Senate sergeant-at-arms to terminate the contract that allows Citibank to provide business credit cards to lawmakers, legislative committees and other Senate offices.
Citi’s abortion-travel policy, announced last month, came amid a wave of restrictive abortion laws passed in Republican-led states over the past year. Citi said it would offer employees “
Daines and his colleagues said they had a “deep concern about the U.S. Senate’s contractual relationship with Citibank” in light of the institution’s policy.
“Citi’s decision to finance abortion tourism for its employees, in brazen circumvention of State law, shows a reckless disregard for the lives of preborn children and disdain for the will of the people of the States in which Citi acts as an employer,” lawmakers wrote in the letter sent to Karen Gibson, who serves as the Senate’s sergeant-at-arms.
In addition to Daines, who leads the Senate’s Pro-Life Caucus, the letter was signed by Sens. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Mike Braun, R-Ind., Rick Scott, R-Fla., Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., and James Lankford, R-Okla.
The move from Republican senators follows a similar effort launched in early April by lawmakers in the House, where Citibank also provides credit cards for congressional business. Currently in the political minority of both legislative chambers, Republicans will be unable to enact such changes unless there is a shift in legislative power following the 2022 midterms or 2024 general election.
Representatives for Citigroup declined to comment on the letter sent by Senate Republicans on Thursday.
Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser, responding to a question during the bank’s annual meeting on Tuesday, said the abortion-travel benefit “isn't intended to be a statement about a very sensitive issue.”
“What we did here was follow our past practices,” Fraser said. “We've covered reproductive health care benefits for over 20 years. And our practice has also been to make sure our employees have the same health coverage, no matter where in the U.S. they live.”
