Piecrust Promises: Part Two

Chuck Donovan / March 16, 2010

Ever since the U.S. Senate voted in December to provide new funding for Federally Qualified Health Centers in its version of health care reform, analysts have pointed out that these monies are not covered by the Hyde Amendment, the measure dating from 1976 that sharply limits federal financing of abortion. As a consequence, these new funds appropriated by the Senate bill, which is now being moved through the House of Representatives by an extraordinary legislative device, are available without statutory limit to underwrite elective abortions.

Yesterday the Obama Administration issued a internal memorandum from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) attempting to undercut this conclusion. The memo states that even in the absence of the statutory prohibition contained in the Hyde Amendment, longstanding regulations in place at HHS would “prohibit federal funds from being used for abortion services.” (more…)