Washington, D.C. – Reps. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) and Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) released the following statement marking the 36th anniversary of the passage of the Hyde Amendment, which limits women’s healthcare rights.
“In 1976, Congress passed the Hyde Amendment that limits women’s healthcare coverage and puts politics between a woman and her doctor.
“Our country has changed since 1976, but many members of Congress continue to push an agenda that harms women by limiting their healthcare coverage if they receive Medicaid. Unfortunately, the House of Representatives’ Republican leadership has continued this trend. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) has used his position to push for a budget that would weaken many existing programs and institutions that support and protect women.
“In fact, since Republicans took control in 2010 the Ryan Congress has voted against women’s issues 55 times—almost once each week. These include 17 votes allowing health insurance companies to discriminate against women; 11 votes cutting women’s access to preventive care; 10 votes restricting abortion rights or access to legal abortion; and 3 votes blocking access to reproductive and maternal care services. Rep. Ryan’s budget includes other measures that would limit women’s healthcare coverage even more.
“Politicians should never take away a woman’s right to make her own health decisions or withhold her healthcare coverage just because of the type of insurance she carries. Politics should never stand between a woman and her health decisions.”
