More than half of House Democrats signed a letter to President-elect Trump asking him to allow the federal government to fund abortions.
“Every person should be treated with dignity, compassion and respect — and that includes upholding a woman’s right to make her own decisions about whether to end a pregnancy,” reads the letter, dated Monday and made public Tuesday.
“We ask that you demonstrate your commitment to being a president for all people of the United States” by lifting the bans on abortion coverage and care, they wrote.
The 106 Democrats are asking Trump to drop his support of the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits women on Medicaid and Medicare and federal employees — including women in the military — from using government-funded insurance to pay for abortions.
“Together these bans restrict the health coverage of millions of women of reproductive age across the country,” the letter continues.
During the campaign Trump promised in a letter to “pro-life leaders” that he would retain the ban in his fiscal year 2018 budget.
“We urge you to begin your presidency with a clear and bold statement that abortion coverage bans have no place in our public policy,” wrote the Democrats led by Reps. Barbara Lee of California and Jan Schakowsky of Illinois.
“This will send a strong message to Congress and the country that everyone should be able to decide when and how to start a family — no matter their income, the type of insurance they have, or where they live.”
