House Democrats passed the appropriations bill yesterday without the Helms Amendment, an exclusion that would allow taxpayer dollars to go towards abortions in foreign countries.
This appropriations bill funds the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs. The Helms Amendment was first passed by Congress in 1973 in response to Roe v. Wade, and has been included in every appropriations bill since then with bipartisan support. Not a single Republican voted for the bill. This marks yet another turning point where Democrats signal to the country they aren't interested in bipartisanship, and instead carry on with their agenda. In this case, it isn't a very popular one.
Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) noted the Helms Amendment's favorability with the public before the House floor.
The SFOPS appropriations bill removes or weakens four longstanding pro-life protections, including the Helms Amendment, which prevents taxpayer funding from being used to fund abortion overseas. https://t.co/bcVLq6AhGj
— PA Pro-Life Fed (@PAProLifeFed) July 29, 2021
Democrats celebrated their destruction of life on Twitter.
I'm proud that my first bill as @AppropsDems State & Foreign Operations Chair excludes the Helms amendment, which has restricted access to abortion primarily for people of color around the globe for decades.
— Rep. Barbara Lee (@RepBarbaraLee) July 28, 2021
This is a major victory in our fight to uphold reproductive rights. pic.twitter.com/1IXgCi1CFh
For nearly 50 years, the Helms Amendment has denied millions of people of their fundamental reproductive rights. This week, I voted to repeal it.
— Rep. Mondaire Jones (@RepMondaire) July 29, 2021
It's long past time we end this dangerous and cruel policy, and ensure reproductive freedom for all.