There is a ruthless political maxim that you should never allow a crisis to go to waste. In other words, manipulate an emergency to your own advantage. The abortion movement has certainly embraced that cold-blooded motto since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic by pushing for more abortions — even at the expense of the victims of the coronavirus and those caring for them.

In late March, The New York Times editorial board showed this approach in action when it demanded, “Make Abortion More Available During the Pandemic — Not Less,” adding, “This crisis has underscored the need for greater access to reproductive health care.” Governors in states like New York, Washington and New Jersey all followed suit, with their own decrees that abortions should continue unabated during the pandemic as “essential” even at a time when states were struggling to provide protective equipment and supplies to hospitals and suffering patients were told that elective procedures should be delayed.

Just as egregious was the recent report that Planned Parenthood affiliates illegally applied for and received $80 million in emergency small business loans under the Paycheck Protection Program, despite their apparent knowledge that they were ineligible for such loans. Under the PPP, the money was supposed to go to American businesses struggling with the terrible economic effects of the lockdowns. Planned Parenthood — which has net assets of $2 billion and is responsible for some 330,000 abortions every year — was ineligible to apply, as the program required that small businesses or nonprofits applying for the loans have 500 or fewer employees.

Meanwhile, the United Nations’ Global HRP (Humanitarian Response Plan) calls abortion an “essential service” and is pushing for the increased worldwide distribution of abortion-inducing drugs and for nations to promote abortion, all under the cover of helping the world to deal with COVID-19.

Fortunately, the pro-life cause has not been idle in the face of this relentless manipulation. Twenty-seven U.S. senators have asked Attorney General William Barr to investigate the Planned Parenthood affiliates that reportedly took the illegal funds. “It seems clear that Planned Parenthood knew that it was ineligible for the small business loans,” the senators wrote to the attorney general, “long before its affiliates fraudulently self-certified that they were eligible. As you know, fraudulent loan applications can trigger both civil and criminal penalties.”

And the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has asked the U.N. to end its push for worldwide abortions through the Global HRP. In a letter to the U.N. on May 18, USAID’s acting administrator, John Barsa, wrote, “the U.N. should not use this crisis as an opportunity to advance access to abortion as an ‘essential service.’” Barsa went on to lament, “Unfortunately, the Global HRP [Humanitarian Response Plan] does just this, by cynically placing the provision of ‘sexual and reproductive health services’ on the same level of importance as food insecurity, essential health care, malnutrition, shelter and sanitation.” Barsa’s letter echoes President Trump’s message to the U.N. last September, when he condemned its promotion of a global right to taxpayer-funded abortion on demand.

These are all sensible and necessary steps from government officials. It is also a reminder, however, that we must be ever vigilant, even as we continue to work peacefully, consistently and prayerfully to defend the most vulnerable. The abortion movement will mercilessly exploit this — and every — crisis to advance the culture of death. The fact remains: Abortion is not health care, and it will never be essential — no matter how hard its devotees claim otherwise.