Press Releases

WASHINGTON, April 5, 2022 — Republican Members of Congress led by House Republican Conference Vice Chairman Mike Johnson (LA-04) sent a letter today to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the United States House of Representatives imploring the CAO to immediately terminate the House’s existing contract with Citigroup.

The letter follows Citi’s announcement that the company will “provide travel benefits to facilitate access to adequate [abortion] resources.” Citi is currently the sole financial institution contracted to manage all credit cards for House offices which are used to pay for flights, expenses, supplies, and other goods.

“This is an unfortunate move by Citi that will lead to the circumvention of state laws and unfettered access to elective abortions,” the letter reads. “It has long been the policy of our legislative branch of government that taxpayer dollars not be used to fund abortion. By offering to pay its employees in their efforts to terminate the lives of the unborn, Citi has forfeited its privilege of doing business with the House of Representatives.”

Read the full letter here or below:

The Honorable Catherine Szpindor

Chief Administrative Officer

U.S. House of Representatives

Dear Chief Administrative Officer Szpindor,

We would like to bring to your attention an urgent matter regarding a vendor used by every member of the House of Representatives—Citigroup, Inc (Citi). As you know, Citi is the financial institution responsible for managing all credit cards for House offices. Members of Congress use the supplied Citi credit cards to pay for flights, supplies, and other goods.

Unfortunately, Citi sent a letter to its stakeholders in anticipation of its April 2022 stakeholder meeting stating that the company will “provide travel benefits to facilitate access to adequate [abortion] resources.” These travel benefits are a response to laws that protect unborn children in the womb by setting gestational age limits for when a woman can procure an elective abortion. By choosing to underwrite travel to abortions for its employees, Citi has explicitly staked out its position to advance the liberal agenda of abortion on demand and has shown no regard for whether a particular state’s laws are in place to protect the safety of a woman and her child.

This is an unfortunate move by Citi that will lead to the circumvention of state laws and unfettered access to elective abortions. It has long been the policy of our legislative branch of government that taxpayer dollars not be used to fund abortion. By offering to pay its employees in their efforts to terminate the lives of the unborn, Citi has forfeited its privilege of doing business with the House of Representatives. That is why we implore you to immediately terminate the House’s existing contracts with Citigroup, Inc. and refrain from entering into any new contractual agreements with the company. We look forward to hearing from you about this urgent matter.

Representatives Jodey Arrington (TX), Brian Babin (TX), Jim Banks (IN), Jack Bergman (MI), Andy Biggs (AZ), Dan Bishop (NC), Lauren Boebert (CO), Mike Bost (IL), Ted Budd (NC), Kat Cammack (FL), Ben Cline (VA), Michael Cloud (TX), Andrew Clyde (GA), Rick Crawford (AR), Rodney Davis (IL), Michelle Fischbach (MN), Virginia Foxx (NC), Lance Gooden (TX), Glenn Grothman (WI), Andy Harris (MD), Vicky Hartzler (MO), Bill Johnson (OH), Jim Jordan (OH), John Joyce (PA), Fred Keller (PA), Doug Lamborn (CO), Debbie Lesko (AZ), Lisa McClain (MI), David McKinley (WV), Mary Miller (IL), John Moolenaar (MI), Alex Mooney (WV), Ralph Norman (SC), Steven Palazzo (MS), Scott Perry (PA), Guy Reschenthaler (PA), John Rutherford (FL), Chris Smith (NJ), Pete Stauber (MN), Greg Steube (FL), Claudia Tenney (NY), Michael Waltz (FL), and Daniel Webster (FL) joined Representative Johnson in signing the letter.

Congressman Johnson is the Vice Chairman of the House Republican Conference, a member of the House Judiciary and Armed Services Committees, and a former constitutional law litigator.

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