McCarthy Calls for Consideration of Bill That Would Ban Use of Federal Funds for Abortion
(CNSNews.com) - House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) called for immediate consideration of the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act” (H.R. 18), which “prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions or for health coverage that includes abortions,” in a speech on the House floor Tuesday.
According to the bill, which was introduced in February, “Historically, language has been included in annual appropriations bills for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions—such language is commonly referred to as the Hyde Amendment. Similar language is also frequently included in appropriations bills for other federal agencies and the District of Columbia. The bill makes these restrictions permanent and extends the restrictions to all federal funds (rather than specific agencies).”
“The bill's restrictions regarding the use of federal funds do not apply in cases of rape, incest, or where a physical disorder, injury, or illness endangers a woman's life unless an abortion is performed. The Hyde Amendment provides the same exceptions,” the bill states.
“The Declaration of Independence says that our God-given freedoms are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As members of Congress, we made a commitment to uphold those freedoms equally, for everyone, but Democrats and their radical allies are chipping them away. Let’s be clear: The Hyde Amendment is not discriminatory,” McCarthy said on the House floor.
"Instead, it’s an essential safeguard that not only protects Americans’ right of conscience, but also has saved more than two million lives from abortion since it was first enacted in 1976. Until recently, it was also overwhelmingly bipartisan. In fact, one of its most vocal supporters in Congress was then-Senator Joe Biden,” he said.
"He told one of his constituents in 1994, 'the government should not tell those with strong convictions against abortion, such as you and I, that we must pay for them,'” the minority leader said.
"Well said, Mr. President. Since then, the purpose of Hyde hasn’t changed. The strong convictions of the American people against abortion haven’t changed. In poll after poll, they tell us they strongly support a wall of separation between abortions and taxpayers, and the science hasn’t changed. If anything, it has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that human life begins at conception. One thing, however, has changed: Democrats,” McCarthy said.
"By putting Hyde on the chopping block, the message they are sending is clear and chilling: that the radical demands of the socialist left drown out common sense, science, and the views of most Americans; that the party of 'safe, legal, and rare' is now the party of abortion on demand, until or even after the point of birth, and funded by taxpayers; and that the government will compel taxpayers to violate their strongest convictions,” he said.
"Madam Speaker, the question before us today is a simple and straightforward moral issue. To represent the values of all Americans, Congress must respect their rights of conscience, not disregard them,” McCarthy said.
"Therefore, I ask unanimous consent that the committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 18, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House," he said.
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