President Trump recently encouraged congressional Republicans to allow greater “flexibility” on the question of the Hyde amendment and abortion funding, to not mandate abortion restrictions on funds given to Americans in health savings accounts. National Review’s editorial and a piece by Catholic University of America professor Michael New provide exhaustive reasons why this move would be wrong. But “flexibility” on Hyde could also undermine a fundamental principle: that taxpayers should not pay for abortion, and insurance should not cover it, because it isn’t properly “health care.”
A bit of history is in order. Since 1976, the annually renewed Hyde amendment has prevented federal funds from paying for abortion directly. It represents a critically important national compromise: Americans might disagree on whether abortion should be legal, but the millions who believe that it is immoral should not be forced to fund it with their taxes.
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