LEE DEMANDS END OF TAXPAYER-FUNDED ABORTIONS FOR CONGRESSIONAL STAFF

The following information was released by Utah Senator Mike Lee:

U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) led a bicameral letter today with Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and a large coalition from both the House and Senate urging the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to stop administering taxpayer-funded health care plans that include elective abortion coverage for members of Congress and their staff.

Legislation passed in 1984 makes subsidizing elective abortions with federal funds illegal. In violation of this law, nearly every health plan offered for Congressional employees includes coverage for elective abortions. The letter demands that health care options for Congress are brought into alignment with the law.

The letter reads as follows:

"We urge you to stop the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) from administering government contributions for Members of Congress and Congressional staff in connection with health insurance plans that cover elective abortion, in violation of the longstanding Smith (NJ) Amendment.

"Since 1984, the Smith Amendment to the Financial Services Appropriations bill has prohibited the use of appropriated funds "to pay for an abortion, or the administrative expenses in connection with any health plan under the Federal employees health benefits program which provides any benefits or coverage for abortions," except in cases "where the life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term, or the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest" (Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023, Pub. L. 117-328, Div. D, Title VI, sec. 613, 614, December 29, 2022). This longstanding provision of law restricts OPM from administering government contributions in connection with any health plan for federal employees that covers elective abortion.

"However, OPM is currently subsidizing plans that cover elective abortion in clear violation of the Smith Amendment. While the Affordable Care Act (ACA) limits Members of Congress and designated Congressional staff to purchasing health plans offered through an Exchange, under a current Obama-era rule in effect since plan year 2014 (5 CFR 890.501(h), 78 FR 60653, October 2, 2013), OPM administers government contributions under 5 U.S. Code 8906 for Members of Congress and Congressional staff enrolled in any Gold level health insurance plan offered through the District of Columbia's Health Exchange Small Business Health Options Program (DC SHOP)also known as DC Health Linkincluding plans that cover elective abortion.

"In its regulatory preamble (78 FR 60654, October 2, 2013) and on its Frequently Asked Questions webpage, OPM claims that these abortion subsidies are allowed by attributing the segregated costs of the elective abortion coverage and associated administrative expenses to the individual's contribution, rather than the taxpayers' contribution. OPM's use of this accounting gimmick to grant abortion subsidies to Congress is not provided for under Section 1303 of the ACA and is blatantly illegal under the Smith Amendment's strict requirement for a complete exclusion of elective abortion coverage for federal employees. By flouting the Smith Amendment, such subsidies also violate the Antideficiency Act, which prohibits the authorization of expenditures or obligations without an appropriation by law.

"Taxpayers, who contribute 72 to 75 percent of these health benefit premiums, do not want their hard-earned tax dollars to pay for abortions. The Smith Amendment does not allow Members of Congress and Congressional staff to operate under a different set of rules than other federal employees when it comes to taxpayer funding of abortion. For 2026, there are only two health plans offered through DC Health Link that do not cover abortion, CareFirst's BluePreferred PPO Gold and United Healthcare's Choice Plus Gold.

"Therefore, we request swift action by OPM to ensure that any health insurance subsidies for members of Congress or Congressional staff are in full compliance with the clear terms of the Smith Amendment. Any DC SHOP plan that covers elective abortion should not be eligible for a government contribution.

"Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We look forward to working with you to ensure the health and safety of the American people."

Other signers of the letter include U.S. Senators Jim Banks (R-IN), Steve Daines (R-MT), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ted Cruz (R-TX), James Lankford (R-OK) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE), and U.S. Representatives Sheri Biggs (R-SC), Tim Burchett (R-TN), Eric Burlison (R-MO), Ben Cline (R-VA), Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Michael Cloud (R-TX), Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Russ Fulcher (R-ID), Michael Guest (R-MS), Clay Higgins (R-LA), Mark Messmer (R-IN), Mary Miller (R-IL), Barry Moore (R-AL), Keith Self (R-TX), Marlin Stutzman (R-IN), and Daniel Webster (R-FL).

Access the full text of the letter here.

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