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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Biden Administration Announced It Will Remove the Hyde Amendment
Maybe this did appear on DU earlier (perhaps under another title), but I didn't see it. It seems notable.
The announcement has long been anticipated: President Biden pledged to repeal the Hyde Amendments during his campaign. The Hyde Amendment, originally instated in 1976, bars the use of federal funds to pay for abortion except in cases where the woman's life is at risk, or if the pregnancy is a result of incest or rape. This means that many pregnant people, especially those on Medicaid (Medicaid provides coverage to 1 in 5 women of reproductive age), have limited or no reasonable access to care: Approximately one-quarter of women who would have Medicaid-funded abortions instead give birth when this funding is unavailable. We know that the Hyde Amendment exacerbates racial disparities and that it disproportionally impacts women of color's access to care.
Though many Republican leaders are expected to fight the notion in budget negotiations, the removal of Hyde remains an important step in protecting the reproductive rights of people in the U.S., and making abortion access more equitable.
This wasn't the only action-oriented commitments the administration announced at the Generation Equality Forum. Read a few of those commitments below and watch Vice President Harris's remarks here.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-biden-administration-announced-it-will-remove-the-hyde-amendment/ar-AALDJgv
50 Shades Of Blue
(9,967 posts)katmondoo
(6,454 posts)WhiskeyGrinder
(22,316 posts)FBaggins
(26,727 posts)A better title would be The Biden Administration announced that they intend to ask Congress to repeal the Hyde Amendment
It remains to be seen whether the votes to repeal it are there.
Response to FBaggins (Reply #4)
Post removed
mac56
(17,566 posts)It's not a Constitutional amendment, simply one that is in every government budget
FBaggins
(26,727 posts)The White House can only ask.
WhiskeyGrinder
(22,316 posts)FBaggins
(26,727 posts)The open question is whether the votes exist to repeal it.
WhiskeyGrinder
(22,316 posts)attached as a ride. If the president doesn't include it, and the budget passes without the rider, Hyde expires. What's remarkable is presenting a budget without it, because it's harder to get things into the budget than taking them out. But as I say, it's been a bargaining chip for some time, and while presenting a bill without it is remarkable, I'll hold my celebrations until an appropriations bill passes without it.
FBaggins
(26,727 posts)The President has no power to get rid of the amendment. He can only ask Congress to do so.
They submitted a budget request a month ago that already lacked the amendment. So this isnt that.
You can call that ask/request presenting the budget - but Congress hasnt ever taken a presidents budget proposal and passed it.
The question is whats new? Manchin said a few weeks ago that he was going to fight to keep it. Is there a Republican looking to kill the amendment to get back to 50?
MiHale
(9,713 posts)Farmer-Rick
(10,151 posts)On January 24, 2017, the House voted to make the Hyde Amendment (H.R. 7) permanent. Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) stated that "We are a pro-life Congress," and he reaffirmed the government's commitment to restricting tax money to funding abortions. The bill failed to become law after it was never brought to a vote in the Senate.
From Wikipedia
WhiskeyGrinder
(22,316 posts)Last edited Mon Jul 5, 2021, 11:06 AM - Edit history (2)
You are correct; it is a policy rider, not a law. But it is a rider on appropriations bills, which Congress does pass. But it will be harder for them to reattach it, anyway.