Hyde Amendment

The chairmen of several U.S. bishops’ committees and the head of March for Life March 11 praised the U.S. senators who voted to pass the government’s omnibus bill with the Hyde Amendment and other pro-life provisions included in it.

A new Knights of Columbus/Marist Poll shows that 71% of Americans support legal limits on abortion and a majority of Americans — 54% — oppose taxpayer funding of abortion.

The $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill passed by the Senate makes “historic investments” in transportation, climate change mitigation, job creation, expanded internet access and other areas, but several issues still need attention, said the U.S. bishops’ domestic policy committee chairman.

The USCCB’s Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities is asking Catholics and all “people of goodwill” to sign an online petition urging Congress not to let federal funds be used to pay for abortions.

The House Committee on Appropriations is poised to mark up “the most extreme pro-abortion appropriations bill we have seen” because it excludes the 46-year-old Hyde Amendment and other long-standing bipartisan provisions that prevent tax money from being spent on abortion, two U.S. bishops’ committee chairmen said July 13.

Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin urged Catholics to go to www.NoTaxpayerAbortion.com and join him in signing this petition before July 16 to send “an urgent message” to Congress to keep the Hyde Amendment.

The Hyde Amendment prohibits use of federal Medicaid dollars for abortion except in cases of rape, incest or when the life of the woman would be endangered.

The chairman of the U.S. bishops’ pro-life committee called on Congress May 28 to preserve the Hyde Amendment in any federal budget proposal and “to work toward a budget that truly builds up the common good of all.”