Stop “Hyding”

White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs Repeats Myth that Hyde Amendment Limits Abortion Funding in Health Care Reform

Federal Taxpayer-Funded Abortion Coverage Still Included in both House and Senate Versions of Health Care Legislation

Washington, D.C. – Yesterday White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs repeated the myth that the Hyde Amendment prevents government-funded abortion coverage in health care reform.

“No matter how many times the President and his allies repeat it, the Hyde Amendment will not protect the taxpayer from government-funded abortion on-demand in health care,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, President of the Susan B. Anthony List. “The truth is, without an explicit exclusion, abortion will be covered in any public plan. Abortion will also be subsidized by our tax dollars in private plans through government subsidies. Yet such language has been voted down five times, three times in the House and twice in the Senate just last week. All this dodging, weaving, and obfuscation by abortion advocates needs to stop. If the President is sincere about not funding abortion on-demand in health care reform, all he needs to do is endorse separate Hyde amendment language in health care legislation. The American pro-life majority is waiting.”

The White House has posted the following transcript of an exchange between White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs and CNS News reporter Fred Lucas at the White House press briefing yesterday (October 7):

Q: Thanks, Robert. It's a question on health care, actually; two questions. First, in a letter to senators last week, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said that, quoting, "So far the health reform bills considered in the committee, including the new Senate Finance Committee bill, have not met the President's challenge of barring the use of federal dollars for abortion." Is that statement wrong?

MR. GIBBS: Well, I don't want to get me in trouble at church, but I would mention there's a law that precludes the use of federal funds for abortion that isn't going to be changed in these health care bills.

Q:There have been, though, several amendments that would explicitly bar abortions, that would therefore reject it, some of those amendments by Democrats --

MR. GIBBS: Again, there's a fairly well documented federal law that prevents it.

The federal law referred to by Mr. Gibbs is the Hyde Amendment, language which only applies to federal taxpayer dollars appropriated for programs implemented through the Department of Health and Human Services. The Hyde Amendment, however, does not apply to new programs created outside this framework – namely any new programs created under the banner of health care reform legislation. In fact, both the House and Senate bills explicitly authorize government-backed abortion coverage for the first time in decades. Aside from the public plan, under which the government would directly fund elective abortion, both H.R. 3200 and the two senate bills (S.1679 and the Senate Finance Committee bill crafted by Senator Baucus (D-MT)) would use federal funds to pay part of the cost of premiums of private health plans that cover elective abortions. This would be a sharp departure from current policy. Further explanation can be found in this National Right to Life Committee policy memorandum.

“The Susan B. Anthony List is working hard to dispel the myth that he Hyde Amendment prevents American federal tax dollars from subsidizing abortion on-demand in health care legislation,” said Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. “I worked with Henry Hyde and personally treasure the legacy of respect he left for women and the unborn. He would be appalled to see his name used to defend the greatest expansion of government support for abortion on-demand since Roe v. Wade. I encourage Americans to get the facts at www.stophyding.com, and then use that information to contact Congress and the President, and tell them to stop hiding behind Henry Hyde.”

The Susan B. Anthony List recently released an educational video to dispel the myth that the Hyde Amendment applies to health care reform legislation. The video, called “Stop Hyding,” is accessible at www.stophyding.com, and has already accrued over 28,000 views on YouTube. Susan B. Anthony List activists have sent over 340,000 letters to Congress and the President, urging an explicit exclusion for abortion coverage in health care reform legislation.

The Susan B. Anthony List is a nationwide network of Americans, over 167,000 residing in all 50 states, dedicated to mobilizing, advancing, and representing pro-life women in politics. Its connected Candidate Fund increases the percentage of pro-life women in the political process.

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