Pro-abortion Democrats may try to push through legislation to force Americans to pay for elective abortions next year when they take control of the U.S. House.
Taxpayer-funded abortions are widely opposed by the general public, but they also happen to be a goal of the Democratic Party. The party platform calls for the repeal of the Hyde Amendment and full-fledged taxpayer funding of abortion.
Pro-life groups are expecting a fight on the issue next year, The Washington Examiner reports.
The Hyde Amendment prohibits direct taxpayer funding of most abortions and has done so since the late 1970s. Upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Hyde Amendment once had strong bipartisan support. But now it is a target of the abortion industry and the lawmakers who it supports.
“The pro-life movement cannot be complacent,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony’s List, in a statement Wednesday. “We must be prepared to fight to hold the line on important pro-life policies such as the Hyde Amendment.”
The pro-abortion Democrats’ goal is unlikely to become law with a Republican president and pro-life Republican majority in the U.S. Senate, but pro-life leaders said Americans still should remain vigilant.
Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life, urged President Donald Trump to stand up to these threats to life.
“The president should issue an immediate veto threat any time standing pro-life policies, for example the Hyde amendment, are stripped from legislation,” she said.
Abortion activists, perhaps knowing how unpopular the issue is with voters, have not brought up their hopes of forcing taxpayers to fund abortions lately.
Keep up with the latest pro-life news and information on Twitter. Follow @LifeNewsHQ
According to the report:
Democrats have not immediately called for repealing Hyde since Tuesday’s victory. In post-election statements, they’ve instead focused on greater oversight of the Trump administration and tackling high drug prices.
Officials with Planned Parenthood declined to say if the women’s health and abortion provider would call on Democrats to repeal Hyde when they assume the House next year.
“We are focused on making sure that women have access to abortion care regardless of where the live, where their income is or who they are,” said Dana Singiser, vice president of public policy and government affairs of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. “We are looking at working on that.”
The abortion rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America did not return a request for comment on the Hyde Amendment.
Taxpayer-funded abortions were a goal of failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016. Clinton promised that she would make every effort to overturn Hyde and force taxpayers to fund abortions, if elected. This and her extremism on late-term abortions are part of what may have cost her the election, and it could be a reason why Democrats are not talking about it now.
Most Americans do not support taxpayer funding of abortions. A Marist poll found that more than two-thirds of Americans oppose taxpayer funding of abortions, including a majority of women and people who identify as pro-choice. A 2016 Politico/Harvard University poll also found that just 36 percent of likely voters support taxpayer funding for abortions, while 58 percent oppose it.
