AUSTIN – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) sent a letter to Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, urging them to ensure any Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations package maintains critical provisions that protect against federal funding of elective abortions:

“Since 1976, the Hyde Amendment has been included in the annual Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies bill to prevent taxpayer funding from being used for elective abortions, saving more than 2,646,000 lives in the five decades since,” wrote Sen. Cornyn.

“Following the Biden Administration’s unprecedented attacks on the unborn, Congressional Republicans and President Trump took a critical step in the fight for life by passing legislation in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to defund the big abortion industry, including Planned Parenthood. By halting taxpayer funding of abortion through the Medicaid program, Republicans showed that even in the wake of the historic Dobbs decision, our fight is not over, and we reasserted our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable in our communities,” he continued.

“I urge appropriators to hold the line against any Democratic efforts to subvert the Hyde amendment; we must maintain all current protections against taxpayer-funded abortions,” he concluded.

The full text of the letter is available here and below.

November 24, 2025

Dear Chairwoman Collins and Subcommittee Chairwoman Capito:

Thank you for your ongoing work towards completing the appropriations process for Fiscal Year 2026. As negotiations with your Democratic counterparts continue, I urge you to maintain all provisions that protect against federal funding of elective abortions in any potential conference agreement or appropriations package.

Since 1976, the Hyde Amendment has been included in the annual Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies bill to prevent taxpayer funding from being used for elective abortions, saving more than 2,646,000 lives in the five decades since.

Following the Biden Administration’s unprecedented attacks on the unborn, Congressional Republicans and President Trump took a critical step in the fight for life by passing legislation in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to defund the big abortion industry, including Planned Parenthood. By halting taxpayer funding of abortion through the Medicaid program, Republicans showed that even in the wake of the historic Dobbs decision, our fight is not over, and we reasserted our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable in our communities. The ongoing legal fight over this provision highlights the continued threat of the big abortion industry and the need for pro-life lawmakers to remain vigilant.

Democrats shut down the government for 43 days in an unsuccessful attempt to undue the work Republicans accomplished in the OBBBA, including the progress we made to stop forced taxpayer funding of abortion. Now is not the time to give an inch on our pro-life values. As you work towards securing further funding agreements for Fiscal Year 2026, I urge appropriators to hold the line against any Democratic efforts to subvert the Hyde amendment; we must maintain all current protections against taxpayer-funded abortions. Lives, and futures, are at stake.

Thank you for your continued work and attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

/s/