Rep. Lee: House Republicans Are Holding Government Hostage to Restrict Access to Abortion

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Rep. Barbara Lee, D-California, issued the following statement on reports that House Republicans are demanding a provision in the continuing resolution that would withhold critical cost-sharing reductions funding from health insurance plans that cover abortion services:

"I am outraged, though not surprised, that House Republicans are bringing harmful, ideological policies into the year-end spending debate. It is clear that they are more than comfortable holding government funding hostage in order to advance their agenda to deny women access to abortion."

"This latest attempt to undermine women's fundamental rights is a dramatic expansion of the already devastating and discriminatory Hyde Amendment which already disproportionately affects low-income women and women of color. If successful, this rider would push abortion care out of reach for even more people who are accessing their insurance through the private market."

"With so much at stake this week - including reauthorizing the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), protection for DACA recipients and funding for community health centers - it is simply unacceptable that House Republicans are yet again taking aim at women's reproductive rights instead of governing."

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Background

Funding for cost-sharing reductions (CSRs) to help lower-income people pay for health care may be included in the continuing resolution on which both houses of Congress must vote in order to keep the government operating.