WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, today joined an effort led by Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., to reintroduce the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act, which would make permanent the Hyde Amendment restrictions on using taxpayer dollars to fund abortions.

“The government should not endorse, nor should taxpayers subsidize, a practice that kills hundreds of thousands of unborn children each year. This bill would thankfully end that, and would help us move towards a culture of life upheld in our laws and through our taxpayer dollars,” Lee said.

“Using taxpayer dollars to fund abortions is wrong,” Wicker said. “Millions of American taxpayers believe unborn life deserves protection in the womb. I am glad to join so many of my colleagues to introduce this legislation, which would guarantee taxpayers that their money will never support the taking of innocent human life.” 

Currently, policies that regulate federal funding for abortions, like the long-standing Hyde Amendment, have to be reapproved each year and can be terminated at any time. This bill would eliminate the need for annual action and ensure a permanent, government-wide prohibition on funding for abortions.

In addition to establishing a government-wide ban on federal funding for abortion, the legislation would:

• Prohibit funding for health benefits coverage that includes coverage of abortion with funds authorized or appropriated by Federal law;
  
  
• Prohibit abortion in federal health facilities (such as DOD and VA hospitals) and ensure that no federal employee provides abortion services in the course of their employment;
  
  
• Make permanent the provisions of the D.C. Hyde Amendment, or the Dornan Amendment, which clarifies that the federal provisions regarding abortion funding also apply to the government of the District of Columbia;
  
  
• Ensure that elective abortion is not deductible for tax purposes by amending Section 213 of the Internal Revenue Code; and
  
  
• Ensure that Affordable Care Act premium assistance subsidies provided in the form of refundable, advanceable tax credits are not used to pay for health insurance plans that include abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is at risk.

Lee and Wicker were joined by 45 other senators, including: John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Roy Blunt, R-Mo., John Boozman, R-Ark., Mike Braun, R-Ind., Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., Bill Cassidy, R-La., John Cornyn, R-Texas, Tom Cotton, R-Ark., Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Steve Daines, R-Mont., Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, Deb Fischer, R-Neb., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., Josh Hawley, R-Mo., John Hoeven, R-N.D., Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., Ron Johnson, R-Wis., John Kennedy, R-La., James Lankford, R-Okla., Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., Roger Marshall, R-Kan., Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Jerry Moran, R-Kan., Rand Paul, R-Ky., Rob Portman, R-Ohio, James Risch, R-Idaho, Mitt Romney, R-Utah, Mike Rounds, R-S.D., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Ben Sasse, R-Neb., Rick Scott, R-Fla., Tim Scott, R-S.C., Richard Shelby, R-Ala., Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, John Thune, R-S.D., Tom Tillis, R-N.C., Pat Toomey, R-Pa., Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., and Todd Young, R-Ind.

See the full text of the legislation here.