Cassidy, Wicker, Colleagues Introduce Permanent Ban on Taxpayer Funding for Abortions

Published 6:30 pm Wednesday, January 25, 2023

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U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and 45 Senate colleagues today introduced the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act to ban using federal funding for abortion. The bill would establish a single, government-wide standard to protect life.

“Congress should promote policies that encourage people to start and expand families,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Being pro-life means being pro-family, and this bill motivates the government to act pro-family.”

“Most Americans do not want their hard-earned tax dollars being used for abortion-on-demand, but our current patchwork of regulations has brought years of uncertainty,” said Senator Wicker. “The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act would simplify federal rules, ensuring that American tax dollars are never used for the destruction of innocent, unborn life.”

For over 40 years, inconsistent policies have regulated federal funding for abortion. This legislation would make permanent the restrictions on funding for elective abortion and elective abortion coverage, including the Hyde Amendment, which currently rely on yearly approval. It would also eliminate Obamacare’s taxpayer subsidies for elective abortion coverage on the Affordable Care Act exchanges through refundable tax credits.

Cassidy and Wicker were joined by 45 of their colleagues, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD), and Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Boozman (R-AR), Mike Braun (R-IN), Katie Britt (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), , John Cornyn (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Ron Johnson (R-WI), John Kennedy (R-LA), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Rand Paul (R-KY), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), James Risch (R-ID), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), JD Vance (R-OH), and Todd Young (R-IN).