U.S. House Republicans seek to punish Citigroup over abortion feud

WASHINGTON, April 5 (Reuters) – Dozens of U.S. Household of Representatives Republicans on Tuesday demanded that the chamber fall Citigroup Inc as its service provider of credit score cards for lawmakers, right after the monetary institution provided to spend vacation expenditures for workforce trying to get abortions.

The credit score playing cards, issued to all 435 customers of the House, are utilised to fork out for airline flights, office environment supplies and other merchandise.

Texas and some other states have enacted new abortion limits and the U.S. Supreme Court has been weighing a challenge to the landmark Roe v. Wade choice protecting nationwide accessibility to abortion. Citigroup (C.N) was the very first important U.S. financial institution to dedicate to masking workers’ abortion-related expenditures. read through a lot more

Abortion is a deeply divisive situation in the United States, and a key target for both equally functions in the operate-up to the Nov. 8 midterm elections that will determine regulate of Congress for 2023 and 2024.

“By picking out to underwrite travel to abortions for its workers, Citi has explicitly staked out its posture to advance the liberal agenda of abortion on demand from customers and has revealed no regard for whether or not a distinct state’s legislation are in location to defend the security of a female and her youngster,” Representative Mike Johnson and 44 fellow Republican colleagues wrote in a letter to the House’s main administrative officer, who oversees logistics problems like credit rating cards.

There are 209 Republicans in the 435-member House that is narrowly controlled by Democrats. Most Democrats in Congress support abortion rights.

The Republicans’ demand was the most up-to-date signal that the political get together, which for many years was closely aligned with corporate The united states, had come to be at odds with large enterprise above disagreements on social issues. study more

A spokesperson for Property Main Administrative Officer Catherine Szpindor was not immediately obtainable for comment.

A Citigroup spokesperson declined to comment.

A further incredibly hot-button matter that has divided Republican officers and firms is LGBTQ difficulties.

In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, has embraced a feud with Walt Disney Co (DIS.N), whose Disney Earth complicated is just one of the state’s major financial engines. The enterprise is seeking repeal of a regulation DeSantis signed restricting discussion of LGBTQ challenges in educational institutions. examine additional

“Disney has alienated a whole lot of people today now,” he explained at a push conference previous 7 days, threatening to revoke regulatory conditions that permit it to oversee its Orlando elaborate with small authorities intervention.

Reporting by Richard Cowan Modifying by Scott Malone and David Gregorio

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