Until this Congress, Hyde had enjoyed 45 years of bipartisan support.
On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed the appropriations minibus (H.R. 4502), which includes spending for Labor, Health and Human Services (LHHS), in a vote of 219 to 208.
This is the initial stage in the process of passing the appropriations minibus, which still requires action in the Senate.
The proposed legislation, H.R. 4502, seeks to remove the long-standing Hyde Amendment, which currently prohibits the use of federal funding for abortions, with the exception of instances where the pregnancy is the result of rape, incest, or where the life of the mother is at risk. The Hyde Amendment has been enacted on numerous occasions, with the support of both political parties, since its inception in 1976.
Carol Tobias, the president of National Right to Life, has stated that “Democratic leadership in the House has put Hyde on the chopping block.” “After 45 years of bipartisan support, the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives is attempting to destroy a measure designed to save human lives.”
Prior to the vote, Representative Tom Cole (R-Okla.) filed a motion to recommit, which was rejected in a party-line vote of 217 to 208.
“We praise Congressman Cole for his effort to prevent passage of the appropriations bill without Hyde Amendment language,” said Tobias. “We thank the pro-life members of Congress for their dedication and diligence in working to protect the Hyde Amendment and prevent taxpayer funding of abortions.”
Following the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade in 1973, various federal health programmes, including Medicaid, began to provide funding for elective abortions. By 1976, the federal Medicaid programme was responsible for funding approximately 300,000 elective abortions annually, with this figure increasing rapidly. An amendment proposed by pro-life Congressman Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) to prohibit the use of federal Medicaid funds for abortions was subsequently enacted.
“The Hyde Amendment is widely recognized as having saved over two million American lives since it was first adopted in 1976,” said Jennifer Popik, J.D., legislative director of National Right to Life.
Popik continued, “The Hyde Amendment has proven to be the greatest domestic abortion-reduction measure ever enacted by Congress.”
The following is an analysis of the facts surrounding the Hyde Amendment and taxpayer funding of abortion.
- The Hyde Amendment has been renewed each time an appropriations cycle has commenced, with only minor alterations, since it was first adopted in 1976.
- The amendment has enjoyed bipartisan support over the years, with Congresses controlled by both parties and presidents from both parties supporting it.
- Prior to the enactment of the Hyde Amendment, it was estimated that approximately 300,000 abortions were funded by Medicaid programs annually, with the number increasing rapidly.
- A November 2020 McLaughlin poll revealed that 64.6% of respondents were opposed to the use of tax funding for abortion, with 49% of Democrats and 69% of Independents expressing this view.
- In a 2021 Marist poll conducted in January, those who “oppose using tax dollars to pay for a woman’s abortion” (58%) demonstrated a consistent and solid level of opposition, in line with previous polling. It is notable that 65% of Independents and even 31% of Democrats oppose federal funding of abortion.
Additionally, the appropriations bills lacked the Weldon Amendment language that would have protected the conscience rights of medical providers and prevented them from being forced to participate in an abortion.
For further information on the historical and contextual background of the Hyde Amendment, please refer to the NRLC website.
Daniel Miller is responsible for nearly all of National Right to Life News' political writing.
With the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency, Daniel Miller developed a deep obsession with U.S. politics that has never let go of the political scientist. Whether it's the election of Joe Biden, the midterm elections in Congress, the abortion rights debate in the Supreme Court or the mudslinging in the primaries - Daniel Miller is happy to stay up late for you.
Daniel was born and raised in New York. After living in China, working for a news agency and another stint at a major news network, he now lives in Arizona with his two daughters.
