Democrats’ Omnibus Bill Spends $575 Million on Population Control

National   |   Laurel Duggan   |   Dec 21, 2022   |   12:17PM   |   Washington, DC

The omnibus spending bill currently under consideration in Congress includes a minimum of $575 million towards “family planning” and “reproductive health,” including in areas where population growth “threatens biodiversity,” according to the text of the bill.

The $1.7 trillion, more than 4,000 page long spending bill unveiled Tuesday represents the federal government’s budget for the coming fiscal year. Conservatives have criticized the spending bill for pouring enormous sums of money into left-leaning projects through earmarks, the process in which a member of Congress agrees to sign a spending bill on the condition that it includes funding for one of their preferred projects, typically within their district.

It appears that an earlier version of the provision was sponsored by California Rep. Barbara Lee, which requested up to $760 million in funding for “family planning/reproductive health,” including in “areas where population growth threatens biodiversity or endangered species.”

“Reproductive health” is often used as a euphemism for abortion, and “family planning” for contraceptives and abortion. While the Hyde Amendment bars the federal government from directly funding abortions, it still allows it to fund to abortion-centered organizations so long as the money goes towards non-abortion costs.