What HR-7, The Anti-Abortion Bill Just Passed In The House, Actually Does
Even if you regularly keep up with current events, it’s been difficult – and depressing – to keep up with every executive order Trump has made in his first couple days as president.
READ ALSO: What Trump’s ‘Anti-Abortion Executive Order’ Actually Does
The latest one making us tear our hair out is HR-7. You probably know it’s an anti-abortion bill, but you may not know exactly what it entails.
Well, HR-7 officially passed in the House yesterday, and it’s awaiting a vote in the Senate, so it’s not law yet.
But what does HR-7 actually do? It’s a little confusing. You see, HR-7 is also known as the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2017.
Translation: it bars any federal funding from being used for abortions.
The thing is, federal funding is already prohibited from being used for abortions. Even in states that fund Planned Parenthood, the funding goes specifically to other Planned Parenthood functions, like STD tests and pap smears, not abortions. It is possibly state funding may go to abortions in very, very rare cases, but it’s unlikely.
READ ALSO: Planned Parenthood Is Officially in Trouble
The problem is, HR-7 isn’t just about government funding, it also affects women’s insurance. The bill would cut off taxpayer funding from all insurance plans that cover abortion, even though that has already been in effect since the Hyde Amendment was passed in 1976. But the bill takes it up another notch by also prohibiting abortion coverage in the multi-state insurance plans created under the Affordable Care Act. That means people who are insured by Obamacare won’t have their abortions covered.
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To add insult to injury, one of Hillary’s campaign promises involved getting rid of the Hyde Amendment once and for all.
Instead, we’re left with abortion becoming harder and harder to get. While the Women’s March may have boosted morale, it clearly didn’t mean anything to those who are determined to take away women’s rights.
Cate Carrejo of Bustle speculates that while premiums may go down briefly if this bill becomes law, they could rise again from the women who are forced to attempt at-home abortions.
READ ALSO: A Depressing Number of Women Googled DIY Abortions In 2015
If you’re pissed off, consider donating to Planned Parenthood. Also, call your senator ASAP, as the Senate still needs to vote on HR-7. Although 60 senators will need to vote yes for the bill to pass and there are only 52 Republican senators, that doesn’t necessarily mean the bill won’t pass. In fact, three Democratic representatives voted for HR-7 in the House, according to Govtrack.
While you may not be directly affected, many low-income women will be, and this only sets a precedent as to what the government can get away with in terms of limiting abortion.
