In 1973, the US Supreme Court’s decision in Roe Vs. Wade legalized abortions. Henry Hyde, a republican congressman from Illinois introduced an amendment in 1976 to combat the court’s decision. It passed the House of Representatives with a vote of 206/167.
The Hyde Amendment, named after Henry Hyde is not a law. It is more of a rider, that is attached to yearly appropriations bills for the Health and Human Services.
The amendment is mainly geared towards federal funds, given out mostly in the form of Medicaid, and states that no Federal funds will be used for abortions.
As it stands now, Federal Employees in the Federal Employee Health Benefit Plans are prohibited from using these monies for abortions as well. If a Federal Employee wants an abortion, they must pay out-of-pocket.
This is essentially the same idea that’s presented in the Senate’s Insurance bill. It’s worked for Federal Employees, where the Federal government finance the plans of these employees. Mr. Bart Stupak however, knowing that his Health insurance plan works the way the Hyde amendment suggests, thinks this same policy wouldn’t work in the Senate Health care bill with the rest of Americans.
While talking to ABC’s Good Morning America, Stupak said;
“We’re not going to vote for this bill with that kind of language, we must have health care but, boy, there are some principles and beliefs that some of us are not going to pass.”
“We’re prepared to take the responsibility. I mean, I’ve been catching it ever since last fall. Let’s face it, I want to see health care. But we’re not going to bypass some principles and beliefs that we feel strongly about.”
Maybe Mr. Stupak should check his own Health Insurance abortion language, and if he’s so against it, he should give it up first, before trying to deny Americans Health Insurance.
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