Share Source: Courtesy Photo from Office of Rep. Andy Harris The Hyde Amendment failed to make its way into the spending bill which advanced out of the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday. This is the first not to include the amendment, which protects taxpayers from having to fund elective abortions. Hyde has passed every year since 1976 with bipartisan support. The amendment failed 27-32, which all 26 Republican members and Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX) voted in favor of. Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) offered the amendment, which Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), a medical doctor and co-chair of the House Pro-Life Caucus, spoke in support of. Both noted that the amendment was a "simple" one to include.