March 16, 2018
Washington, D.C.
Signatures updated 3/20/18
As Congress considers the upcoming omnibus spending bill, we oppose any bailout of Obamacare if that funding is used for plans that include elective abortion.
For almost a decade, Republicans have promised to repeal Obamacare. A stabilization fund, like the proposal by Senators Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Murray (D-Wash.) and a separate proposal from Senators Collins (R-Maine) and Nelson (D-Fla.) would essentially bail out insurance companies with billions of taxpayer dollars, without passing along nearly any benefit to consumers. Moreover, bailing out the insurance companies will further entrench Obamacare, rather than hasten its repeal.
Though we applaud Congress for repealing the individual mandate, full repeal of Obamacare—including its onerous regulations—is the only way to truly reduce premiums and lessen the complexity of the health care marketplace. Numerous studies have demonstrated that Obamacare’s regulations have raised premiums. To truly fix this problem, Congress must stop tinkering around the edges and keep their promise to fully repeal the law.
Additionally troubling is the fact that neither of the bailout plans contemplated by the Senate contain restrictions limiting the flow of taxpayer money to elective abortion coverage.
For decades, the Hyde amendment and other funding limitation amendments have prevented federal taxpayer funding for abortion or for insurance coverage that included abortion. Obamacare ushered in a new era of abortion funding unleashing federal subsidies for insurance coverage that includes abortion on demand. This must be reversed.
If a bailout of Obamacare is to be included in an omnibus spending bill—and we sincerely hope it is not—that money must contain iron clad Hyde amendment protections that prevent taxpayer money from going towards plans that cover abortion.
Like their promise to repeal Obamacare, Republicans have long promised to reduce taxpayer funding to abortion. As Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Representatives Mark Meadows (R-S.C.) and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) wrote recently,
This Frankenstein combination of a new Republican-created insurance bailout plus funding Obamacare’s existing pro-abortion CSR bailout is exactly what we counseled against in March last year. If we ignore the years of promises we made to the people on Obamacare, the voters would, quite rightly, distrust Republicans for years to come.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.), a proponent of the bailouts, made clear “Hyde language needs to be in whatever we do.” House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) has made similar comments. Things are much less clear in the Senate, however.
Any Member voting for a new Obamacare funding proposal that does not fully incorporate the Hyde amendment would not only be voting to sustain what many have called the largest expansion of abortion since Roe v. Wade, but would also be voting to directly appropriate taxpayer dollars for insurance that includes elective abortion.
| The Honorable Edwin Meese III Former Attorney General President Ronald Reagan |
Alfred S. Regnery Chairman, Conservative Action Project Chairman, Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund |
| Marjorie Dannenfelser President Susan B. Anthony List |
The Honorable Tony Perkins President, Family Research Council President, Council for National Policy |
| Thomas E. McClusky President March for Life Action |
The Honorable Colin A. Hanna President Let Freedom Ring, Inc. |
| David Bozell President ForAmerica |
The Honorable Bob McEwen U.S. House of Representatives Former Member, Ohio |
| Cleta Mitchell, Esq. | Michael A. Needham Chief Executive Officer Heritage Action for America |
| The Honorable Becky Norton Dunlop Former White House Advisor President Ronald Reagan |
The Honorable Jim DeMint Former Member (SC) United States Senate |
| Ed Corrigan Vice Chairman, Conservative Action Project Former Executive Director, Senate Steering Committee |
Rachel Bovard Former Policy Director Senate Steering Committee |
| Wesley Denton Former Communications Director Senator Jim DeMint (SC) |
The Honorable T. Kenneth Cribb, Jr. Former Chief Domestic Advisor President Ronald Reagan |
| Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin (Ret.) Executive Vice President Family Research Council |
William L. Walton Chairman CNP Action, Inc. |
| Diana Banister President and Partner Shirley & Banister Public Affairs |
Thomas Fitton President Coalitions for America |
| The Honorable J. Kenneth Blackwell Chairman Constitutional Congress, Inc. |
The Honorable David McIntosh U.S. House of Representatives Former Member, Indiana |
| Craig Shirley Reagan Biographer and Presidential Historian |
Rod D. Martin Founder and CEO The Martin Organization, Inc. |
| Sherri R. Martin Executive Vice President The Martin Organization, Inc. |
Haley E. Martin President The Martin Foundation |
| Shawn A. Mitchell Former National Chaplain National Federation of Republican Assemblies |
Jerry Melvin Former Dean Florida House of Representatives |
| Evelio Silvera Campaign for the American Future |
Nicholas Stehle Campaign for the American Future |
| Mitchell Morgan Chief Financial Officer Martin Imaging |
Kristan Hawkins President Students for Life of America |
| Jack Park Conservative Activist and Donor |
Dr. Jerome R. Corsi, Ph.D. Washington Bureau Chief Infowars.com |
| Peter J.Thomas Chairman The Conservative Caucus |
Kay R. Daly President Coalition for a Fair Judiciary |
| C. Preston Noell III President Tradition, Family, Property, Inc. |
Robert K. Fischer Meeting Coordinator Conservatives of Faith |
| Tim Wildmon President American Family Association |
Floyd Brown Chairman Western Center for Journalism |
| The Honorable Belden Bell Co-chair, Legacy Society The Heritage Foundation |
Sal Russo Co-Founder Tea Party Express |
| Anne Schlafly Cori Chairman Eagle Forum |
Lewis K. Uhler President National Tax Limitation Committee |
| Larry Cirignano DC Representative Children First Foundation |
The Honorable James C. Miller III Budget Director for President Reagan (1985-1988) |
| Ellen Grigsby Director of Institutional Partnerships Open Doors USA |
Caroline Lewis Owner Percipio Communications |
| The Honorable Mike Spence Founding President Conservative Republicans of California |
Ralph A. Rebandt II Lead Pastor/Chaplain Oakland Hills Community Church/Michigan Association of Police Chiefs |
| Lee Beaman Owner Beaman Automotive Group |
Ron Robinson President Young America’s Foundation |
| Donna Hearne CEO Constitutional Coalition |
Allen Hebert Chairman American-Chinese Fellowship of Houston |
| The Honorable Mike Hill Former Member Florida State Representative |
Terrance Wear President Legal Services Corporation |
| Christopher Malagisi Editor in Chief Conservative Book Club |
The Honorable Michael R. Long State Chairman NYS Conservative Party |
| Gary L. Bauer President American Values |
Steve Berger Pastor Grace Chapel |
| Gary Marx Former Executive Director Faith & Freedom Coalition |
James C. Dobson Founder & President Family Talk |
(All organizations listed for IDENTIFICATION purposes only.)
