Washington D.C., Nov 4, 2021 / 09:43 am
The presence of expanded taxpayer funding of abortion in the proposed federal budget is “completely unacceptable”, despite many worthy programs that help the poor and vulnerable, the U.S. bishops have said in a call to restore long-standing Hyde Amendment limits.
“(I)t is completely unacceptable that the current House version of the Build Back Better Act expands taxpayer funding of abortion,” six committee heads with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a Nov. 3 letter to members of Congress.
“We have been consistent in our position and reiterate that it would be a calamity if the important and life-affirming provisions in this bill were accompanied by provisions facilitating and funding the destruction of unborn human life,” they said. “No proposal to support individuals needing affordable health care coverage should compel Americans to pay for the destruction of human life through their tax dollars.”
The bishops’ letter reflected on the congressional Democrats’ Build Back Better Act and the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which combined could approve trillions of dollars in spending.