Dear John,

Any day now we are expecting the Biden-Harris administration to submit its list of budget priorities to Congress. It’s critical that the list doesn’t include any restrictions on abortion.

Candidate Biden committed to repeal the Hyde Amendment and all budget-related abortion restrictions. The administration must keep its promise and submit a clean budget that does not include the Hyde or Weldon Amendments.

Since 1977, the Hyde Amendment, which bans insurance coverage for abortion for those enrolled in Medicaid, has been attached to congressional appropriations bills as part of the annual budget process. And since 2004, the Weldon Amendment, which allows health care providers, including insurance companies, to deny abortion care, has also been included. Coupled together, Hyde and Weldon deny abortion coverage and make abortion inaccessible for far too many across the country.

Abortion restrictions like Hyde and Weldon fall hardest on Black, Indigenous, and other people of color working to make ends meet. Ensuring that all people have access to and coverage of the full range of reproductive health care, including abortion care, is an essential part of addressing racial injustice and other inequities in our health care system. Everyone deserves access to a full range of health care services no matter what type of health insurance they have.

Budgets are a representation of our values—and Biden’s budget to Congress should represent his commitment to removing barriers to abortion care. With its budget proposal, the Biden-Harris administration has an opportunity to demonstrate that there is no room for abortion coverage restrictions. The Hyde and Weldon Amendments cannot be included in the budget if we are committed to building a more just and equitable society.

Sincerely,

Gretchen Borchelt
she/they
Vice President for Reproductive Rights and Health
National Women's Law Center