Washington, D.C. – House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23) delivered a speech on the House Floor defending pro-life Americans’ right to not be forced by the government to pay for abortions, and calling for the immediate consideration of H.R. 18, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act.
“To represent the values of all Americans, Congress must respect their rights of conscience, not disregard them,” said Leader McCarthy.
Remarks as prepared are below, or watch online here.
“Madam Speaker — The Declaration of Independence says that our God-given freedoms are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
“As members of Congress, we made a commitment to uphold those freedoms equally, for everyone.
“But Democrats and their radical allies are chipping them away.
“Let’s be clear: The Hyde Amendment is not discriminatory.
“Instead, it’s an essential safeguard that not only protects Americans’ right of conscience, but also has saved more than two million lives from abortion since it was first enacted in 1976.
“Until recently, it was also overwhelmingly bipartisan. In fact, one of its most vocal supporters in Congress was then-Senator Joe Biden.
“He told one of his constituents in 1994, ‘the government should not tell those with strong convictions against abortion, such as you and I, that we must pay for them.’
“Well said, Mr. President.
“Since then, the purpose of Hyde hasn’t changed.
“The strong convictions of the American people against abortion haven’t changed. In poll after poll, they tell us they strongly support a wall of separation between abortions and taxpayers.
“And the science hasn’t changed. If anything, it has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that human life begins at conception.
“One thing, however, has changed: Democrats.
“By putting Hyde on the chopping block, the message they are sending is clear and chilling:
- That the radical demands of the socialist left drown out common sense, science, and the views of most Americans.
- That the party of ‘safe, legal, and rare’ is now the party of abortion on demand, until or even after the point of birth, and funded by taxpayers.
- And that the government will compel taxpayers to violate their strongest convictions.
“Madam Speaker — The question before us today is a simple and straightforward moral issue.
“To represent the values of all Americans, Congress must respect their rights of conscience, not disregard them.
“Therefore, I ask unanimous consent that the committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 18, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.”