On September 30, 1976, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the first Hyde Amendment, marking one of the earliest and most consequential legislative victories for the pro-life movement in the wake of Roe v. Wade (1973).
Named after Congressman Henry Hyde of Illinois, the amendment prohibited the use of federal Medicaid funds to pay for most abortions, ensuring that taxpayers would not be forced to subsidize the procedure.
The Hyde Amendment was groundbreaking in two ways. First, it was a direct response to the sweeping legalization of abortion by the Supreme Court, establishing that—even within Roe’s framework—Congress could draw moral and financial boundaries. Second, it represented a clear instance of bipartisan support for a pro-life measure, passing in a Democratic-controlled Congress with votes from both parties.
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