On October 23, 1979, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Hatch Amendment, a proposed constitutional amendment introduced by conservative Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah.
This measure sought to overturn the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision by granting states the authority to regulate or prohibit abortion. Sponsored by pro-life advocates within the Republican Party, it garnered strong support from family-values conservatives who viewed it as a vital step to restore traditional protections for the unborn and reinforce the sanctity of family life against judicial overreach on moral issues.
Though it ultimately fell short in the Senate, the amendment’s passage in the House marked a significant early victory for the organized pro-life movement, galvanizing grassroots activism and shaping the conservative platform on life and family for decades.
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