Washington D.C., May 21, 2021 / 15:00 pm
One pro-life leader is “confident” that Democratic Senator Joe Manchin (W.Va.) – a key swing vote in the U.S. Senate – will oppose efforts to fund abortions in the coming fiscal year.
With President Joe Biden expected to release the details of his budget request for the 2022 fiscal year next week, one long-standing federal budget policy might not be included – the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funding of elective abortions in Medicaid. Democrats only have a tiebreaking majority in the U.S. Senate, however, thus increasing the importance of every single vote.
Asked about Manchin’s support for the Hyde Amendment on Thursday, Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List, stated her confidence that he will oppose attempts to undo the policy in the budget process.
"I actually spoke with him a couple weeks ago for quite a long time, and this was very much high on the agenda,” Dannenfelser told reporters on a Thursday call. “So I'm confident that we'll not only have his vote, but his advocacy there."