Democrats, Including Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Push to Repeal Hyde Amendment as it Reaches 50-Year Mark
Anti-abortion advocates are marking the 50th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment, a federal prohibition on taxpayer-funded abortions, while simultaneously expressing concern over growing Democratic efforts to repeal it. The Hyde Amendment, named after former Illinois Republican congressman Henry Hyde, restricts federal funding for abortions in government-funded health insurance programs, with exceptions for rape, incest, or to save the mother's life. According to the Charlotte Lozier Institute, an anti-abortion think tank, this measure has led to the birth of over 2.6 million children in the past five decades. However, Democrats, including Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), have consistently advocated for its repeal, labeling it an 'inhumane policy' that 'disproportionately denies the right of choice to low-income women and women of color.' They argue that the government should not use health insurance coverage to strip individuals of their medical decision-making freedom. ...
