This latest move marks a turning point for Biden, who once supported the Hyde Amendment. For decades, he voted against abortion and for Hyde. But he noticeably flipped on the issue as he prepared for the 2020 election and ran on the Democratic Party platform that called to “repeal the Hyde Amendment.” In 2019, Biden condemned Hyde – the day after he reaffirmed his support for it.
First introduced in 1976 by Representative Henry Hyde from Illinois, the Hyde Amendment bans federal funding – taxpayer dollars – from going towards abortion, with the exceptions of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. The legislative provision, approved annually by Congress, largely impacts Medicaid recipients.