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Abortion Funding Ban Has Evolved Over The Years

December 14, 2009
Julie Rovner, NPR

Abortion remains one of the key unresolved issues in the ongoing health overhaul debate. Those on both sides of the abortion debate say what they want in the health bill is to retain the status quo. And the status quo they point to is the Hyde amendment, the ban on federal funding of abortion first passed in 1976.

But what many people don't realize is that the Hyde amendment — named after its original sponsor, the late Illinois Republican congressman and anti-abortion icon Henry Hyde — has changed many times over the years.

"Today's Hyde language, which has been in every annual Labor-HHS [Health and Human Services] appropriations bill since 1976, specifically prohibits federal dollars from being used to pay for abortions except if the pregnancy was the result of rape, incest or the life of the mother was in danger," said Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) on the Senate floor.

That's true. But it hasn't always said that.

• Read the complete article.

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