No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the legislation.

As of today, Congress prohibits the expenditure of Federal funds on abortions through a patchwork of riders on our annual appropriations bills. These riders include the Hyde amendment in Labor-HHS and other prohibitions in the State and Foreign Operations bill, the Financial Services bill, the Commerce-Justice-Science bill, in addition to the Defense bill. Simply put, this legislation will eliminate the need for these annual riders to ensure that these policies become permanent statute.

This bill also codifies the Hyde-Weldon conscience clause that would expand the policy to include all recipients of Federal funds. The conscience clause protects health care entities that choose not to provide abortions from discrimination by State, local, or Federal agencies that receive Federal funds. Therefore, no one who has deep religious or moral opposition to abortions should be forced to provide for them.

Madam Speaker, I support this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

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