In 1976, Congress passed the Hyde Amendment to bar federal monies to fund abortions for women who could not afford them.  It was passed as a rider to the General Appropriations Bill (the budget).  Each year, it has to be added again and re-passed.  Over the last 36 years, it has been slightly improved, but it has always been re-passed.

TODAY, the bill to amend the 2013 Budget, called the Codification Act (S 142), is sitting in the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.  It was proposed by Senator Robert (Bob) Casey, Jr., a Democrat.  After the government shutdown, the Budget debate was postponed until January, 2014, therefore the Senate has yet to consider any possible legislative rider.

Because the women’s movement did not and has not ever made it a priority to get the Hyde Amendment defeated, our movement has been divided between those who can afford to pay for their abortion and those who can’t.  In states that do not fund abortions for teenagers and poor women (many of whom are of color), women must either take monies from rent and food or seek illegal abortion.  Various providers and women’s organizations have raised funds to assist these women, however the injustice of this amendment still remains.

We have another chance to get rid of the Hyde Amendment before the next Congress passes the 2013 General Appropriations bill in January.

WOMEN AND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY

For over 40 years, since the Democrats found the “gender gap”, they have received a huge support from women, despite the fact that they don’t always vote for the Pro-Choice Platform.  Obama’s new health law does not include abortion.  The Hyde Amendment gets voted in again each year.  Our Washington, D.C. and State Capitol pro-choice advocates remain silent about this.

This strategy is NOT working, and we need to call an immediate halt to this automatic support.

Now, a coalition of women’s organizations, ALL ABOVE ALL, has launched a campaign specifically to raise awareness of harmful federal and state bans on funding abortion care and catalyze action against them.  Hopefully, this campaign will show legislators, especially Democrats, how important the insurance issue is.  allaboveall.org

If you agree that all women, not just women who can afford it, have the right to abortion, you can join our committee to keep Congress from passing it again in 2014.

You can:

1. Stay informed of Congress’ actions or inaction's on this issue and our committee’s activities by getting on our e-mail list.
2. Help to fund a representative of our committee to travel to Washington, D.C. to learn how to influence Congress to keep this rider from being added to the General Appropriations Bill.
3. Write letters to selected politicians.
4. Travel to Washington, D.C. to lobby and to demonstrate.
5. Work on the committee