FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 8, 2021
Contact: Prudence Robertson, [email protected] | 240-672-2828
60 National & State Pro-life Groups Send Letter to House & Senate Demanding Legislators Stand Firm on Hyde & Similar Policy Riders
Washington, D.C. – Today 60 national and state pro-life groups led by Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List), the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Americans United for Life (AUL), Concerned Women for America LAC (CWA), National Right to Life (NRLC), Family Research Council (FRC), and March for Life Action sent a letter to Congress calling on lawmakers to protect the Hyde Amendment, longstanding bipartisan policy to stop taxpayer funding of abortion and saves unborn American lives.
This fall Congress will work to determine policy related to healthcare funding in appropriations bills and in the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill. Pro-life groups are urging members of Congress to respect the will of the American people and adhere to the Hyde Amendment in both processes.
The letter reads in part:
“…This year the House passed appropriations bills that eliminate many of the longstanding Hyde protections. Now it is up to the Senate to defend the unborn by insisting the consciences of Americans are protected. Earlier this month, the Senate showed its intent that Hyde principles should continue to govern federal spending, through the passage of an amendment offered by Senator Lankford. We urge all Senators to carry this intent across the finish line by voting against cloture on any appropriations bill that does not retain the Hyde family of pro-life riders.
“Additionally, this fall there will be another battle… as the House and Senate consider a $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill… we urge you to ensure that this spending does not expand taxpayer-funded abortion, and to exclude any backdoor proposals that would do an end run around the Hyde family of amendments and fund abortion against the will of the majority of Americans.”
SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser added:
“Nancy Pelosi, emboldened by Joe Biden, continues to work with her Democrat colleagues and the abortion industry in their relentless attempt to destroy the Hyde family of pro-life policies and cement a national mandate for abortion. This must be stopped. The American people rely on the Hyde family of policies to stop their tax dollars from funding gruesome, painful late abortions both at home and overseas.”
SBA List has launched a six-figure campaign to expose the abortion extremism of #Terrible20 vulnerable House and Senate members up for re-election in 2022 who refuse to the support the Hyde Amendment and similar policy riders. The campaign thus far has included digital ads, grassroots phone calls, and multi-state press tour during August recess.
Since it was first enacted over four decades ago, the original Hyde Amendment alone has saved more than 2.4 million lives. Polling shows that most Americans, including Democrats, independents, and self-proclaimed pro-choice people oppose taxpayer funding of abortion on demand. Learn more at sbalist.org/hyde, or search the hashtag #hydesaveslives on Twitter.
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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The SBA Pro-Life America National Pro-life Scorecard is a tool that helps hold members of Congress accountable for their legislative records on life and that highlights leadership in the fight to serve women and save babies.
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