DEMOCRATS FOR LIFE OF AMERICAN DEMANDS FLOOR VOTE ON HYDE AMENDMENT

DEMOCRATS FOR LIFE OF AMERICAN DEMANDS 

FLOOR VOTE ON HYDE AMENDMENT

Those who support abortion funding should go on the record

 

Washington, D.C. Democrats For Life of America Executive Director Kristen Day was at the Capitol yesterday to meet with elected officials and get a pulse on what is happening with the Hyde Amendment. One of the rumors that is swirling around the Hill is that Democratic Party leadership will NOT allow an Amendment to restore a longstanding ban on taxpayer funding of abortion.

 

“If abortion-rights Democrats want abortion funding, they should not hide behind procedural gamesmenship, allow a vote, and go on the record of support for taxpayer funding of abortion,” said Kristen Day, executive director, Democrats For Life of America. “It is not surprising that the Democratic Leadership will block attempts to have a public discussion and floor vote because taxpayer funding of abortion is highly unpopular.”

 

The last time there was a Hyde vote was 2009 during consideration of the Affordable Care Act.  The Stupak Amendment passed by a vote of 240 to 194.  In 2010, Republicans picked up 63 seats and control of the U.S. House. Tying Democrats to taxpayer funding of abortion played a key role in flipping many purple seats.

 

“Eliminating Hyde would be an absolute tragedy,” said Day. “The Hyde Amendment has saved over 2 million lives from the violence of abortion. We are are grateful to Democrats like Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX) who are standing up for 21 million pro-life democrats who want the longstanding Hyde langauge protected.”

 

On March 11th, 2021, President Biden signed into law the first bill in 45 years that did not include the Hyde Amendment - a legislative rider that prevents taxpayer-funded abortion. There was an attempt to restore the Hyde language in the Labor, HHS, House Appropriations Committee last week but it failed.

 

“We are disappointed and disheartened by this push to remove Hyde protections,” said Dan Green, National Communications Director of Democrats For Life. “Democrats across Congress should be terrified of the implications of excluding Hyde from the federal budget and for their political future. This is a highly popular law with over 60% of American support. It isn't a "Republican" law. It is an American one. We should be using precious federal resources to affirm life, not end it. "

 

Guttmacher Institute statistics show that states that fund abortion with taxpayer funds have higher abortion rates, in most cases, double the national average of 13.5 per 1,000 women. California, New York, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia have rates of 26.3 and higher per 1,000 women. Further abortion funding also targets low-income and minority communities.  

 

“Black women are 3.4 times as likely as white women to have their pregnancy end in abortion,” said Kristen Day. “Black and brown women account for over half of abortions in the US. Targeting women, particularly minority women for paid abortions, does nothing to solve the underlying issues of poverty and lack of support.”