Defending the Hyde Amendment

One of the longest standing federal pro-life policies is again under fire in Congress. Since 1976, the Hyde Amendment, which prevents funding of abortions with taxpayer dollars, has passed through Congress with bipartisan support. Now, President Biden is seeking to remove the amendment from his Budget Request of the U.S. Government for Fiscal Year 2022.

According to Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, nearly 60% of Americans agree that taxpayer dollars should not be used to fund abortions. President Biden himself, President Obama before him, and hundreds of other Democrats have supported the Hyde Amendment for decades.

Over the last 40 years, this amendment has prohibited publicly funded abortions and saved more than 2.5 million lives. Any attempt to eliminate provisions in this amendment illustrates a drastic setback in the ongoing fight for the unborn. This is an extreme step, even for this administration.

Despite this attempt to strike down the Hyde Amendment, House Republicans are fighting back. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) introduced H.R. 18, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, of which I am a cosponsor. This legislation would turn the provisions of the Hyde Amendment into law. Unfortunately, every House Democrat voted against the bill, resulting in an unsuccessful procedural vote.

However, House Republicans continue working to expose the plan to remove the amendment and its protections for the lives of the unborn. The “Eighteen Days for H.R. 18: Unanimous Consent Requests in Support of the Hyde Amendment” will accomplish just that. On each legislative day from June 22 to August Recess, House Republican Representatives will request unanimous consent for the consideration of the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act.

This week, I gave a one-minute floor speech in defense of the unborn and asked for support of the Hyde Amendment. In addition, I have accompanied Pro-Life Caucus members and nearly 200 of my fellow Representatives on a letter to challenge President Biden on his exclusion of the Hyde Amendment in his FY22 Budget. The letter outlines numerous concerns with the intent to repeal the Hyde Amendment, along with other considerable pro-life measures.

As your representative and an Oklahoman, I work to bring our home state values to the halls of Congress. I am deeply disappointed in this administrations’ decision to remove the Hyde Amendment. As a Christian and a mother, I believe in the sanctity of human life and will remain committed to fighting to protect the unborn and to save the Hyde Amendment.