Preserve Hyde Amendment

Floor Speech

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Mr. MOONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss our most fundamental God-given right, our right to life.

Enshrined in our Declaration of Independence is life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Our government should reflect this commitment to life, but the continued practice of abortion-on-demand across the country runs contrary to this commitment. Abortion deprives innocent, defenseless, unborn babies of their right to life.

Thankfully, there are certain legal protections, like the Hyde amendment, in place to safeguard hardworking Americans' tax dollars and save lives. The Hyde amendment simply prevents the taxpayer funding of abortions. Since 1976, the Hyde amendment has saved 2.5 million lives.

According to a Marist poll taken this year, the vast majority of Republicans and Independents, and nearly a third of Democrats, believe that tax dollars should not be used to pay for abortions.

Since 1976, Republican and Democrat Members of Congress have found agreement in keeping the Hyde amendment. President Biden himself publicly supported the Hyde amendment for decades. In a 1977 letter to constituents, which I have right here, Senator Biden wrote that voting to support the Hyde amendment ``is the position which I have consistently supported.''

He goes on to say: ``The Senate, however, passed a broader definition of the circumstances under which Medicaid funds could be used to pay for an abortion. I did not support this version.'' Those are Senator Biden's words.

Furthermore, in 1994, in another letter to a constituent at the time, Senator Biden upheld his support of Hyde protections, saying: ``Those of us who are opposed to abortion should not be compelled to pay for them.''

But today, President Biden has kowtowed to the radical left and has removed Hyde protections from his budget proposal. President Biden is turning his back on innocent life in their mother's womb.

The Hyde amendment has saved millions of lives and has stopped Americans who are morally opposed to abortion from being forced to pay for it.

I call on President Biden to return to his previous position, which opposed the taxpayer funding of abortion, abide by the teaching of his own self-professed Catholic faith, and follow the lead of his predecessors from both sides of the aisle who preserved the Hyde amendment in their Presidential budget proposals.

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