Top Democrats disagree on including Hyde Amendment in economic bill



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By Chandelis Duster, CNN

Representative Pramila Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said on Sunday that she would not support a sweeping economic bill if it included the Hyde amendment, adding another complicating factor to the ongoing negotiations among Democrats as they work out the details of the massive spending bill.

The Hyde Amendment prevents the use of federal funds for most abortions except in cases of rape, incest or when a woman’s life is in danger.

His comments on CNN’s “State of the Union” come after West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin – a crucial Democratic 50-50 Senate vote – said last week that the inclusion of the Hyde Amendment would be necessary for a package to have its support.

Senator Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, did not rule out the inclusion of the Hyde Amendment on Sunday, arguing he did not want the issue to sink legislation.

“I’ll tell you, I’ve voted for both in the past because I have to measure it against the value of the package itself,” Durbin told CNN’s Dana Bash, when asked about it. ‘he would vote in favor of the bill if it included the amendment. “Building back better is the future of many working families. This gives them a chance to finally break with the inequalities in our economy and to have some optimism about the future. So I don’t want to let the package fall apart because of this problem. “

Manchin, who represents a red state, described himself as “pro-life and proud of it” previously. “Yes, we are not removing the Hyde Amendment. Hyde is going to be on, ”Manchin Recount National review last week. “It must be. It must be. It’s dead on arrival if it’s gone.

But Jayapal, a Democrat from Washington state, dropped the issue on Sunday, saying “no” to Bash when asked if she would vote for the bill if it were included.

“Let’s wait, this is a negotiation and we have to keep pushing things forward, but the Hyde Amendment is something that the majority of the country does not support,” said Jayapal, who was public In regards to her own abortion, noted.

“One in four women has had an abortion and needs reproductive health care at a very, very important time when these protections are being broken. It is nobody’s business. It is our business as the people who carry the babies. And you know, we have to be able to make choices during our pregnancy. “

“None of the dollars here are going for that,” she said when asked if she wanted federal dollars in legislation to be spent on abortions.

President Joe Biden spoke out against the Hyde amendment in 2019 during the Democratic primary, reversing his long-standing support for the measure.

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CNN’s Daniella Diaz contributed to this report.

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