During her weekly press conference, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was asked about the fate of the Hyde Amendment. Not only did she reaffirm her opposition to Hyde, a budget rider amendment which protects taxpayers from having to fund abortion, but she did so while claiming she is a "devout Catholic."
When asked by a reporter the reasons "why to have it overturned" the speaker claimed:
Because it’s an issue of health of many women in America. Especially those in lower income situations and in different states. And it is something that has been a priority for many of us a long time. As a devout Catholic and mother of five and six years, I feel that God blessed my husband and me with our beautiful family, five children, six years almost to the day, but it’s not up to me to dictate that that’s what other people should do. And it’s an issue of fairness and justice for poor women and in our country.
The remarks received criticism from Republicans and pro-life Democrats alike, namely Kristen Day and Democrats for Life of America, a group she is the executive director of.
21 million pro-life Democrats disagree with the Speaker. The @HouseDemocrats need to be smarter about abortion funding. If Nancy Pelosi really believes this she should allow a vote to restore the Hyde Amendment next week and face the consequences. #SaveHyde https://t.co/s0K5BRFJI6
— Kristen Day (@ProLifeDem) July 22, 2021
Republicans are unified in their support for Hyde. During a press conference last week, members of the House Appropriations Committee affirmed that they will not budge on this issue.
It's not merely Republicans in favor of preserving Hyde, though. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) joined all of his Republican colleagues in the committee last week and voted in favor of including the Hyde Amendment in the budget, though it ultimately failed in committee.
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We just met with Pro-Life Democratic Congressman @RepCuellar at the Capitol. He was the only Democrat on the House Committee that voted to include the Hyde Amendment.
— Democrats for Life (@demsforlife) July 21, 2021
He reiterated his commitment with us to #SaveHyde and said he will stay strong amidst all of the pressure! pic.twitter.com/mSpxrwAC5j
In the Senate, there is also a bipartisan effort from Sens. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) to protect Hyde. The two sent a letter to Chair Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Ranking Member Richard Shelby (R-AL) of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The letter reads as follows:
We write to express our support for the Hyde Amendment, which has been included in annual appropriations bills on a bipartisan basis since 1976. Specifically, this amendment prohibits federal funding for elective abortion coverage, except in the case of rape, incest, or if the mother’s life is in danger, through any program funded through the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act. The Hyde Amendment is a decades-long, as was reported provision in the Fiscal Year 2022 bill.
Recent public polls show almost 60 percent of Americans oppose or strongly oppose using taxpayer dollars to support abortion. Both Democrat and Republican Presidents have signed the Hyde Amendment into law. It has passed through both Democrat and Republican controlled Congresses, and it was upheld by the Supreme Court in 1980. Repealing this provision would eliminate over 40 years of bipartisan precedent.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to working with you as the appropriations process moves forward.
As was cited in the letter, a majority of Americans have consistently supported the Hyde Amendment, according to numerous polls. Even Slate acknowledged the popularity of Hyde, warning that "Abortion Funding Isn’t As Popular As Democrats Think."
Sen. Manchin continues to reaffirm his commitment to supporting Hyde, as was reported last month.
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