WASHINGTON, D.C., March 13, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – As government leaders continue to move to address the spread of the coronavirus across the United States, House Democrats allegedly tried to exploit the panic to weaken existing restrictions on federal funding of abortion.
Senior White House officials told the Daily Caller Thursday that during negotiations over an economic stimulus bill to address fallout from the virus, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pushed for the inclusion of several controversial provisions, including a mandate to reimburse laboratory claims – independent of the requirements of the Hyde amendment, which blocks direct financing of most abortions. One official described the proposal as a “slush fund.”
“A new mandatory funding stream that does not have Hyde protections would be unprecedented,” another official said. “Under the guise of protecting people, Speaker Pelosi is working to make sure taxpayer dollars are spent covering abortion — which is not only backwards, but goes against historical norms.”
House Republicans including Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy criticized Pelosi for stalling what should be bipartisan public safety work with unrelated left-wing priorities, and called for drafting a separate proposal from scratch.
This morning a White House source informed LifeSiteNews that pro-lifers succeeded in ensuring that the Hyde Amendment will be applied to the coronavirus bill. U.S. House Democrats have apparently conceded on that front, although the final outcome remains to be seen.
Pro-life voices have responded to the reports of Pelosi’s actions with shock and disgust:
House Democrats are so unbelievably obsessed w/ abortion that they threaten to refuse economic relief to millions while a virus threatens lives unless they get to force tax funded abortion at the same time.
And then they blame the gridlock on “pro-life provisions.” Pure evil.
— Lila Rose (@LilaGraceRose) March 12, 2020
Breaking – Speaker Nancy Pelosi tried to guarantee federal funding of abortion in the coronavirus economic stimulus plan?
People, this is the Swamp! The Evil and Digusting swamp the @realDonaldTrump and @VP will need 4 more years to get rid of! #maga #trump2020 pic.twitter.com/jeXv28lOVp
— Fr. Frank Pavone ���� (Text LIFE to 88022) (@frfrankpavone) March 13, 2020
The fact that Planned Parenthood believes emergency #CoronavirusPandemic funding should be used for taxpayer funded abortions tells you all you need to know about the Abortion Goliath. https://t.co/tf0kS7bmYZ
— Kristan Hawkins (@KristanHawkins) March 12, 2020