FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 30, 2016
[email protected]
On the 40th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment, NARAL President Ilyse Hogue today released the following statement calling for the discriminatory policy to be repealed. Earlier today, NARAL released a video that imagined what a world would look like without Hyde—a world in which abortion access was not dependent upon the size of your bank account.
“For too long, women have been pushed to the sidelines and not provided the same right to control our destinies afforded to most men. When the Supreme Court took such a giant leap forward for women with its decision in Roe v. Wade, it took a mere three years for anti-choice politicians to craft policy that yanked a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body away from low income women, and disproportionately, women of color. With this legislative discrimination, Congressman Henry Hyde and other anti-choice politicians made abortion a right only for women who could afford it and inspired a number of public funding bans that took reproductive rights away from women in the military, Peace Corps volunteers, and Native American women, among others.
“Millions of women in this country rely on Medicaid and other public health insurance programs run by the government. Yet, because of the Hyde Amendment and similar policies, these women are barred from using their health insurance to cover the cost of an abortion. In the decades since its first passage, anti-choice politicians have repeatedly reaffirmed the Hyde Amendment, to the detriment of millions of women and families.
“Today, on the 40th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment, thanks to the incredible leadership of reproductive justice groups and women of color, the push to repeal this discriminatory policy is stronger than ever. The Democratic nominee for President, Hillary Clinton, has made repealing the Hyde Amendment central to her campaign. The Democratic Party included a repeal of Hyde in their platform for the first time in the history. In Congress, the Each Woman Act, a bill to repeal Hyde sponsored by Rep. Barbara Lee, has been introduced and continues to gain support. The momentum to send the discriminatory Hyde Amendment to the ash heap of history is on our side, thanks in large part to the work done by reproductive justice groups led by women of color.
“Ending the Hyde Amendment would be a step toward rooting out discrimination in our insurance and healthcare systems, and would empower women everywhere to make their own healthcare decisions without interference from politicians. It would mean that women, regardless of what’s in their bank account, would have increased ability to determine their destinies. As a country, ending the Hyde Amendment must be a priority if we’re at all serious about ensuring that women should be equal partners in society. Now, more than ever, it’s time to #BeBoldEndHyde.”
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