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Texas Republicans are lashing out at Citi this week after the New York-based bank revealed it would cover expenses for US staffers who are forced to leave their states to seek an abortion.
Citi revealed the initiative in a filing published ahead of the bank’s annual shareholders meeting in April. The bank said it will cover expenses such as air travel and lodging.
“In response to changes in reproductive healthcare laws in certain states in the US, beginning in 2022 we provide travel benefits to facilitate access to adequate resources,” the filing said.
Last year, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a GOP-backed law outlawing abortions once medical professionals can detect a fetal heartbeat – typically around six weeks into a pregnancy. The law, considered one of the most restrictive in the country, also allows private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone they suspect of helping a woman obtain an abortion.
Citi’s policy drew a sharp response from GOP officials – including Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, a 2022 Republican candidate for state attorney general and the son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
“The ‘travel benefits’ offered by Citigroup are nothing but a PR stunt by a ‘woke’ company to support a culture of death,” Bush said in response to Citi’s policy. “Texas is a pro-life state, and if elected Attorney General, I will hold actors who attempt to find loopholes in our laws accountable.”
Texas Republican Party Chairman Matt Rinaldi also ripped Citi in a statement to Bloomberg, which first reported on the GOP backlash.
“Citigroup’s decision to finance the murder of unborn children with a heartbeat is appalling, but not surprising, considering its past adoption of far-left causes,” Rinaldi said. He added that Republicans should “avoid entrusting their finances with Citibank and other companies that are hostile to them and their values.”
Citi declined further comment on the policy or on criticism from GOP officials.
While Republicans were critical, Citi’s initiative drew praise from left-leaning lawmakers, including Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
“This is the right thing to do. We need more of this from corporate America,” Newsom wrote on Twitter.
Citi was the latest company to unveil benefits aimed at addressing employee concerns about restrictive abortion laws in Texas and other states.
Last year, Uber and Lyft said they would cover legal expenses for any driver sued in connection to the Texas abortion law.
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