UltraViolet Reacts to President Biden’s Budget Proposals; Celebrates Removal of Hyde Amendment, But Urges More Action on Other Abortion Coverage Restrictions
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, May 28, 2021
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com
UltraViolet Reacts to President Biden’s Budget Proposals; Celebrates Removal of Hyde Amendment, But Urges More Action on Other Abortion Coverage Restrictions
WASHINGTON, DC — In reaction President Joe Biden’s proposed budget, which provides for significant investment in America’s families and working people, while removing some abortion coverage restrictions like the Hyde Amendment, Sonja Spoo, campaign director at UltraViolet, a leading national gender-justice organization, issued the following statement:
“President Biden’s proposed budget is a once in a generation opportunity to deliver for the people of the United States – investing in our economy and the people who make it run.
“President Biden’s budget, with the inclusion of the American Jobs and Families Plan, is a significant and critical investment in our families and communities. The challenge of these times and the inequities that have been allowed to linger for too long demand bold action for women and families – and this budget delivers. We are celebrating the investments in childcare, education, universal paid leave, and child tax credits and we’re grateful to UltraViolet members and advocates for the organizing they did to make these investments possible.
“Not only does the budget show the President’s values by investing in the American people – but also through what it does not include – namely the Hyde Amendment and related abortion coverage bans, which for more than 40 years has denied insurance coverage of abortion to people working to make ends meet. Eliminating the Hyde Amendment and related coverage bans ensures that someone can make their own decisions about their future and health with dignity and respect.
“Ending the Hyde Amendment in his presidential budget fits squarely within President Biden’s stated priorities of racial equity and economic security. President Biden’s budget without the Hyde Amendment is also in line with the majority of the public—6 in 10 Americans—who believe Medicaid insurance should cover abortion services, just as it covers other pregnancy-related care.
“This is an important first step, but with abortion rights under attack across the country, and a potentially hostile Supreme Court poised to gut Roe – now, more than ever, we need the President to fight for reproductive rights without compromise or qualifications at home and abroad and to make sure that other restrictions on reproductive care, like the Helms and Weldon Amendments, are eliminated from all federal government policies and guidelines.
“This historic budget, and first-in-decades elimination of the Hyde amendment would not have been possible without the leadership of women of color, who have been organizing in their communities and educating elected leaders on the impact of this policy and why we need it gone.
“Now, it’s up to Congress to continue this momentum and pass federal appropriations bills without abortion coverage bans like Hyde and to go even further than this budget and eliminate the Weldon and Helms Amendments as well.
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