Some in GOP want ‘No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion’ bill to be part of U.S. debt discussion
The U.S. House of Representatives will vote today on the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, or House Resolution 3, which was introduced by Rep. Chris Smith
Jul 31, 2020217.7K Shares2.9M Views
The U.S. House of Representatives will vote today on the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, or House Resolution 3, which was introduced by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) back in January. And based on the House’s record thus far, the bill — which would prohibit funds authorized or appropriated by federal law to be used for any health benefits coverage that also covers abortion — is expected to pass.
The District of Columbia is being singled outin this proposed law, which, if passed, would ban “the inclusion of abortion in any health care service furnished by a federal or District of Columbia health care facility or by any physician or other individual employed by the federal government or the District.”
Already the measure is backed by 227 co-sponsors, but what remains to be seen is how the Democrat-controlled Senate will vote. Senate Democrats previously knocked down the GOP-backed 2011 budget proposal to remove all federal funding from Planned Parenthood, which at an annual $383 million, amounted to a minuscule portion of the overall budget.
But with HR 3, Republicans look to focus on its fiscal effects rather than the social angle in order to leverage more support in the Senate for the bill, as Roll Call reported Wednesday.
From Roll Call:
“„The decision to put [HR 3] on the floor is giving new hope to some social conservatives who want their issues swept up into the debt limit debate.
“„Rep. Trent Franks, an anti-abortion advocate, said that House Republicans “have some leverage” to get the Democratically controlled Senate to take up the legislation, similar to the way House Republicans forced an amendment onto the continuing resolution that would defund federal funding for Planned Parenthood. As part of a larger agreement on the final CR, Senate leaders agreed to hold a separate vote on the Planned Parenthood amendment.
“„[...]
“„While Franks, a two-term lawmaker from Arizona, acknowledged that a balanced budget amendment may be better suited to be part of a compromise debt limit vote, he still has hope for a Senate vote on an anti-abortion bill.
“„[...]
“„Although conservative organizations have not yet begun pushing for this as part of the debt limit debate, activists said they would support the effort and argued that Republicans should make it a matter of routine that deals include requirements that the Senate vote on social issues. “Republicans making such demands shouldn’t be out of the ordinary,” Family Research Council’s Tom McClusky said.
“„[...]
“„While social conservatives have highlighted the anti-abortion measure as being tied to federal funding, the Congressional Budget Office reported on March 15 that the bill has “negligible effects on tax revenues,” which has led such groups as Americans for Tax Reform to stay out of the debate.
Rhyley Carney
Reviewer
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