WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., today joined U.S. Senators Steve Daines, R-Mont., and James Lankford, R-Okla., to introduce a series of amendments to prohibit taxpayer funding of abortion in congressional Democrats’ nearly $2 trillion spending package. The senators’ proposals are modeled after the long standing Hyde Amendment, which has prohibited the use of taxpayer dollars for abortion since 1976.

“The Hyde Amendment has passed annually for over 40 consecutive years, regardless of the party in power,” Wicker said. “Our amendments would apply this important pro-life protection to the Democrats’ proposed spending package, ensuring no taxpayer dollars are used to fund abortions. We will continue to fight for the millions of Americans who recognize the lives of the unborn deserve protection.”

Wicker’s amendment would block rural health grants under the agriculture title of the final package from funding abortions. Daines introduced an amendment that would apply the Hyde Amendment to three sections of the package, including state and local aid, foreign aid, and the provider relief fund. Lankford's amendment bars abortion funding from health care funding under the health, education, labor, and pensions section of the package.

Wicker has been a strong supporter of pro-life protections since joining Congress. Most recently, Wicker led the Senate in introducing the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act, which would make permanent the Hyde Amendment restrictions on using taxpayer dollars to fund abortions.