Joe Biden supports the Hyde and split amendment from 2020 Dems about abortion

Former Vice President Joe Biden reiterated his support for the Hyde Amendment, a measure that is creating a barrier to abortion for low-income women in the United States.

"He has not yet changed his position on the Hyde amendment," said his campaign in a statement to ABC News. "The Hyde amendment does not prevent US organizations that provide vital health care services to women from receiving the federal funding they require." 39 access to abortion, if women have access to their rights protected by Roe V Wade are closed, it would be open to the repeal. "

The Hyde Amendment was adopted for the first time in 1976, three years after the historic case of the Supreme Court Roe v. Wade, which codified abortion as a protected right, stipulating that federal funding could not be used to pay for abortions. A few years later, Congress provided an exemption for cases in which the patient's life was threatened. An exemption for cases of rape or incest was added in the early 1990s.

The law mainly concerns patients under Medicaid, which means that low-income patients have to pay for an abortion out of their pocket.

It was introduced by the representative Henry Hyde, who said at the time: "I would certainly prevent, if I could legally, anyone with an abortion, a rich woman, a middle-class woman or a poor woman Unfortunately, the only vehicle available is the … Medicaid bill. "

With the announcement of his campaign on Wednesday, Biden separates many members of the Democratic Party, including its 2020 competitors. Candidates, including Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, DN.Y., Senator Elizabeth Warren, D- Mass., Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. And Senator Cory Booker, DN.J, have called for the repeal of the Hyde Amendment.

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The Biden announcement has been widely criticized by advocates and service providers for reproductive and sexual health.

"Supporting the Hyde Amendment, is to prevent people – especially women of color and low-income women – from accessing a safe and legal abortion," said Kelley Robinson, Executive Director of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. "While access to abortion is limited and inaccessible in the states of the country, it is unacceptable for a candidate to support policies that further restrict abortion." Robinson added, "We strongly encourage Joe Biden to speak to those affected by this discriminatory policy and to re-evaluate his position."

Destiny Lopez, co-director of the All * Above All Action Fund, whose mission is to undo Hyde's amendment, invited Mr. Biden "to meet us to discuss his position on the hedging prohibitions of Abortion and the lifting of the Hyde amendment ".

Lopez added in a statement: "We hope that just as Vice President Biden has developed his support for legal abortion, he will also deepen his understanding of the devastating impact of the ban on Abortion coverage, especially for women facing financial difficulties All of our presidential candidates recognize, along with a majority of American voters, that refusing Medicare coverage by Medicaid to an abortion can be likened to a total ban.It has a disproportionate impact on people of color and young people.Choose on the abortion policy. "

Candidates for the 2020 Democratic presidency have also adopted Biden's position.

Senator from New York, Kirsten Gillibrand wrote in a tweet "Repealing the Hyde amendment is essential so that low-income women, in particular, can have access to the reproductive care they need and deserve."

Washington Governor Jay Inslee m said he voted against the Hyde amendment in 1993 and added: "It was bad at the time and it is bad now."

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont also reiterated his plan to repeal the Hyde amendment.

ABC News & Averi Harper contributed to this report.