Washington D.C., Mar 23, 2021 / 11:05 am
The group Democrats for Life of America is appealing to former President Jimmy Carter in its effort to preserve the Hyde Amendment.
The Hyde Amendment, first enacted in 1976, bars federal funding of abortions except in cases of rape or incest, or when the life of the mother is at stake. It is enacted in law each year as a rider to appropriations bills, and is named after its sponsor Rep. Harry Hyde (R-Ill.).
While Carter was not yet president at the time of the initial passage of the Hyde Amendment, he supported the policy and signed subsequent funding bills into law that included the amendment. In 1977, the federal government shut down three times over abortion funding debates, but the Hyde Amendment survived.
"We are asking President Jimmy Carter (who signed Hyde into law) to please help us in saving it. We are so grateful for your humanitarian work and for everything you did for women and families in office," said a tweet posted Monday, March 22, by Democrats for Life of America (DFLA).