48 Senators Say They Will Oppose Spending Not Protected by the Hyde Amendment

Montana Sen. Steve Daines (R)

Last Friday, 48 Republican senators sent a letter to Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) declaring that they would oppose any spending bills that do not contain the Hyde amendment (which is supposed to prevent federal tax dollars from paying for abortions) or other pro-life protections.

Every Republican senator signed the letter except for Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski. No Democrats signed the letter.

A copy of the letter was received by the National Review Online, which wrote:

"'Abortion is not health care; rather, it is a brutal procedure that destroys the life of an innocent unborn child,' the letter states. 'The Hyde Amendment reflects a consensus that millions of pro-life Americans who are profoundly opposed to abortion should not be coerced into paying for it or incentivizing it with their taxpayer dollars.'"

The National Review writes that Montana Sen. Steve Daines, who founded and chairs the Senate Pro-Life Caucus, spearheaded the effort.

Daines, in a statement to the National Review, said, “We have a message for Democratic leader Schumer: We will vote to block any radical, pro-abortion agenda. That includes any bill that undermines the Hyde amendment and other longstanding pro-life protections.”

Because 60 votes are required to overcome a filibuster, these senators hold enough votes to block any abortion-promoting legislation from being passed.

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