Hyde Amendment Absent from Trump Health Plan, But White House Promises ‘Strongest Possible Pro-Life Protections’

President Donald Trump’s long-awaited health care framework doesn’t mention the Hyde Amendment, but a White House official said the president will work with Congress to ensure that the “strongest possible pro-life protections” make it into the bill.

The White House on Thursday called on Congress to pass Trump’s new “Great Health Care Plan,” which promises to lower drug prices, lower insurance premiums by sending money directly to Americans, and improve price transparency in health care.

The fact sheet about the plan doesn’t mention the Hyde Amendment, prompting concern from pro-life leaders. The Hyde Amendment, a necessity in any health care deal for many Republicans, prohibits federal funding of elective abortions in health care appropriations.

Though what has been released of the health plan contains no explicit mention of Hyde, the White House has promised to work with Congress on the “strongest possible pro-life protections.”

It is unclear if those protections will take the form of the Hyde Amendment.

The White House will be in “ongoing conversations” to help Congress “with specific language for the legislation,” Mehmet Oz, administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, told reporters on a press call.

March for Life president, Jennie Lichter, expects the White House to keep this promise.

“The American people don’t want to see their tax dollars being used to pay for abortions. That’s clear and consistent in polling over the years,” she told The Daily Signal.

“I believe the president and his team know that, and I anticipate that they will stand strong and consistent with his own first term and second term, first year actions to ensure that taxpayer dollars are not used to support health plans that provide abortions in the upcoming health care negotiations.”

But since many pro-lifers believe Hyde is the “strongest possible” way to protect life, some are worried the absence of Hyde from the fact sheet means the White House will seek to limit abortion in a less effective way.

“The ‘strongest possible’ is the Hyde amendment which in statute bars taxpayer funding of abortion,” he president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, Marjorie Dannenfelser, wrote on X. “Very simple to commit to, as most Hill GOP have. Unless ‘flexible’ means you can’t.”

Last week, Trump told House Republicans at their Members Retreat Tuesday they need to be a “little bit flexible on Hyde” when making a deal with Democrats on health care. Many Republicans in Congress have said they will not support a health care deal without the policy in place to prevent federal subsidies from funding abortion coverage in health plans.

But some White House officials have looked to walk back that statement, three sources familiar with the administration’s thinking told The Daily Signal.

Brad Kehr, government affairs director for American United for Life, recommended cautious optimistic about the White House’s statement.

“No American should be complicit in paying for the intentional termination of children in the womb,” he said. “Concerned taxpayers should be heartened by this WH statement, but closely review any bill text that comes from the proposal.”

Part of the White House’s plan, sending money to the American people rather than insurance companies, was previously suggested by several Republican senators, including Lousiana’s Bill Cassidy and Idaho’s Mike Crapo in one bill, and Florida’s Rick Scott in another bill.

In both proposals, Americans could access federal subsidies through health savings accounts, which they could in turn spend directly on eligible health-related expenses.

Both legislative proposals included Hyde Amendment protections, prohibiting funding in the accounts to be spent on abortions.

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated from a previous version.

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