FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 23, 2021
Contact: Prudence Robertson, [email protected]
Draft Bill Eliminates Hyde Protections, Would Fund Abortion on Demand Through Birth in D.C. & for Federal Employees
Washington, D.C. – Today the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee released a draft spending bill that eliminates two longstanding pro-life policies and dramatically expands taxpayer funding of abortion. The bill will be considered in the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee tomorrow.
The Dornan (also known as “D.C. Hyde”) and Smith Amendments – part of the Hyde family of federal pro-life policies – prevent forced taxpayer funding of abortion in the District of Columbia (D.C.) and in the Federal Employee Health Benefits program, respectively.
Last month, President Biden released a budget that gutted the decades-old, bipartisan Hyde Amendment and would force taxpayers to fund abortion on demand through birth. The push to get rid of Hyde has also been endorsed by Speaker Pelosi.
The national pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) blasted House Democrats’ budget in a statement:
“Under the Biden administration, longstanding policies that keep taxpayers out of the abortion business are under assault like never before,” said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. “For more than four decades, the Hyde family of pro-life policies has saved lives by preventing taxpayer dollars from being funneled to the abortion industry. Thanks to the Hyde Amendment, nearly 2.5 million people are living among us today – but if the Dornan and Smith Amendments are scrapped, taxpayers would be forced to pay for as many as 1,500 more abortions each year in D.C. alone. Pro-abortion Democrats’ agenda is deeply unpopular with most Americans. We thank the House Leadership and Pro-Life Caucus and all our congressional allies for fighting to preserve vital pro-life protections in the budget.”
This is the first of a series of spending bills to be considered in the House Appropriations Committee. This initial spending bill makes clear that Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro intends to keep her promise to use her committee to underwrite the brutal business of abortion. SBA List will fight every spending bill that funds abortion on demand with taxpayer dollars.
Today SBA List launched a six-figure digital ad campaign targeting two vulnerable U.S. senators and six U.S. House members in competitive districts. The ad exposes congressional Democrats’ efforts to force taxpayers to fund abortion on demand. Additionally, the group strongly supports efforts to immediately consider H.R. 18, which would make the Hyde Amendment permanent government-wide.
Recent polling shows 77% of Americans oppose using taxpayer dollars to promote abortion overseas, and 58% oppose using taxpayer money to fund abortions in the United States.
In May 2021, more than 60 pro-life leaders sent a letter to congressional leadership urging them to fight for the Hyde Amendment and other similar longstanding pro-life riders during the appropriations process. Learn more at sbaprolife.org/hyde.
SBA List is a network of 900,000 pro-life Americans nationwide, dedicated to ending abortion by electing national leaders and advocating for laws that save lives, with a special calling to promote pro-life women leaders.
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