Thursday was a sad day for unborn babies as well as for taxpayers who do not want their money having to fund elective abortions. Thanks to every House Democrat, the House appropriations bill purposefully left out the Hyde Amendment, which protects Americans from having to fund elective abortions at home.
In 1976, 107 House Democrats voted in favor of the Hyde Amendment
— Michael New (@Michael_J_New) July 29, 2021
Today, every House Democrat who cast a vote -- supported an Appropriations bill that didn't include the Hyde Amendment
Remember, every House Democrat failed to stand up for preborn children today#HydeSavesLives pic.twitter.com/U6k8cVlhEV
Abandoning Hyde was something supported by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), even after Archbishop Salvadore Cordileone of the Archdiocese of San Francisco issued a reminder last week that "no one can claim to be a devout Catholic and condone the killing of innocent human life, let alone have the government pay for it."
My full statement in response to @SpeakerPelosi comments today on being a devout Catholic and supporting abortion funding. https://t.co/P6enxpEven
— Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone (@ArchCordileone) July 23, 2021
His full statement read:
Let me repeat: no one can claim to be a devout Catholic and condone the killing of innocent human life, let alone have the government pay for it. The right to life is a fundamental – the most fundamental – human right, and Catholics do not oppose fundamental human rights. To use the smokescreen of abortion as an issue of health and fairness to poor women is the epitome of hypocrisy: what about the health of the baby being killed? What about giving poor women real choice, so they are supported in choosing life? This would give them fairness and equality to women of means, who can afford to bring a child into the world. It is people of faith who run pro-life crisis pregnancy clinics; they are the only ones who provide poor women life-giving alternatives to having their babies killed in their wombs. I cannot be prouder of my fellow Catholics who are so prominent in providing this vital service. To them I say: you are the ones worthy to call yourselves “devout Catholics”!
Archbishop Cordileone was responding to comments also made last week from Speaker Pelosi during a press conference, when she was explaining reasons "why to have [Hyde] overturned" after being asked by a reporter:
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 Thursday vote was completely along party lines, which is not entirely surprising, except when it comes to how Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) ultimately voted.
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
Rep. Cuellar is a pro-life Democrat who has been endorsed by and met with Democrats for Life of America to assure the group he would support Hyde.
While the congressman did vote to include the Hyde Amendment as a member of the Appropriations Committee, the amendment failed, and Cuellar still voted for it. He voted in favor of the appropriations bill in the House on Thursday, even though it did not include Hyde protections.
Every single Democrat in the House voted to repeal Hyde. Every single one of them.
— Democrats for Life (@demsforlife) July 29, 2021
If this does not show how out of touch Democrats are with people in the country, we are not sure what else will. Many elections will be lost because of this.
Be smarter. See you in the Senate.
Number of House Democrats supporting the Hyde Amendment
— Michael New (@Michael_J_New) July 29, 2021
1976: 107
Today: 0
We will remember in November!#HydeSavesLives
.@RepCuellar did vote to restore the Hyde Amendment in the House Appropriations Committee.
— Michael New (@Michael_J_New) July 29, 2021
However when that Amendment failed.
He voted in favor of the bill (without Hyde) in the Appropriations Committee.
He voted in favor of the bill (without Hyde) on the House floor.
Dr. Michael New, a research associate at the Busch School of Business at the Catholic University of America and an associate scholar at the Charlotte Lozier Institute, shared his thoughts with Townhall, where he stressed the effect this could have come the 2022 midterm elections:
On Thursday, in a party line 219-208 vote the House of Representatives approved a package of Appropriations bills that did not include the Hyde Amendment. This marks the first time since 1976 the House has passed Appropriations legislation funding the Department of Health and Human Services, which did not include Hyde protections
The fact that every House Democrat voted in favor legislation that would fund elective abortions with taxpayer dollars shows how far to the left the Democratic Party has moved on sanctity of life issues in a short period of time. In 1976, 107 House Democrats voted for the original Hyde Amendment. Seven of the eight budgets proposed by President Clinton and all eight budgets proposed by President Obama included the Hyde Amendment. However, this past week, not one House Democrat was willing to oppose taxpayer funding for elective abortions.
Thursday's vote will certainly be salient in the 2022 midterm elections. Taxpayer funding for abortion polls poorly. There have been at least 11 national polls taken since July 2016 that have asked about taxpayer funding for abortion. In all 11 surveys, a plurality opposed taxpayer funding for abortion and in 10 of the 11 a majority opposed taxpayer funding for abortion. Additionally, several House Democrats represent moderate and conservative districts where opposition to taxpayer funding for abortion is especially strong.
In August, the U.S. Senate will consider Appropriations legislation. Here pro-lifers have a chance to restore the Hyde Amendment. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) said that he would support Hyde "in any way possible." In July, Senator Manchin and Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) sent a letter to Senate leadership and the Senate Appropriations Committee expressing support for the Hyde Amendment. That said, pro-lifers are going to have to be diligent in their efforts to ensure that the Senate passes Appropriations legislation that includes the Hyde Amendment.
Being "diligent" does not seem to be a problem for Republicans in Congress. As House members of the Appropriations Committee made clear during a press conference earlier this month, they stand unified and will not relent when it comes to their refusal to vote for a spending bill that does not include Hyde protections.
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."
As Zach reported, the appropriations bill also purposefully left out the Helms Amendment, which protects American taxpayers from having to fund abortions in foreign countries. An overwhelming amount of Americans, at 77 percent, oppose having to fund such abortions.
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