House passes spending bills without restrictions on abortion funding – Catholic World Report

The House this week passed spending bills that would allow funding of abortions both in the United States and abroad. On Thursday afternoon, the House voted 219-208 to pass a large spending bill without customary prohibitions on federal funding of most elective abortions. The bill – H.R. 4502 – provides appropriations for a number of federal agencies and programs, but excludes the Hyde Amendment, federal policy since 1976 which bars funding of most elective abortions in Medicaid. The legislation also omitted other prohibitions on funding of abortions and abortion coverage, and excluded the Weldon Amendment which conditions federal funding on state and local governments upholding conscience protections in health care. Pro-life leaders criticized the omission of these “riders” from the spending bills.

House passes spending bills without restrictions on abortion funding – Catholic World Report