For the past month, COVID-19 (otherwise known as the coronavirus) has disrupted life as we know it. From international market plunges, flight suspensions, and nationally mandated quarantines, the effects of the coronavirus seem like a sci-fi movie none of us auditioned to star in.

But when it comes to responses to COVID-19, some countries have performed better than others. While various countries, including Vietnam and South Korea, have taken adequate steps to limit the spread of the virus and ensure their citizens’ wellbeing, the same cannot be said for the United States. The Hill explains how, just a couple days ago, House Democrats were feuding with GOP members both in the House and the Senate over complications in their “Corona-Stimulus Package.” The first round of differences was over things one might expect; the burden of paid sick leave on American businesses concerned GOP members, though Democrats insisted on proposed unemployment benefits and free testing for the disease.

President Trump at the White House Coronavirus Press Meeting on April 1st

Source: The White House

However, what no one expected to be on the docket was abortion funding or lack thereof. Newsweek reported on March 13th; “[The] GOP demand for the inclusion of language from the Hyde Amendment, which bars the use of federal funds for abortion services, be included in the bill. The White House was concerned that the bill could allow federal funds to be used for abortion services.

While Democrats have objected to the demand, conservatives have argued that the Hyde Amendment language should never have been excluded from the bill in the first place. When the news broke, both rallied behind their own versions of the story.

Conservatives labeled the effort of House Democrats to exclude the Hyde Amendment as “sneaking in abortion funding.” Right-wing fringe media such as “News Thud” and “Decision Magazine,” a publication funded by a conservative-evangelical interest group, spewed out polarizing headlines such as: “Pelosi Tries To Sneak Abortion Funding Into Virus Bill, Gets Stopped By GOP: Report”, “Pelosi Reportedly Attempts to Sneak Abortion Funding into Coronavirus Relief Bill”.

Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin addressing the Stimulus Package at the White House Press Conference

Source: The White House

To refresh one’s memory, the Hyde Amendment is a law that bars government funding from being used for abortions. What Democrats want to do is pass policy without the Hyde Amendment, which would exclude the funding in the bill from the Hyde Amendment requirements. The reasoning behind such actions will be addressed later in this article. For now, all we need to know is that excluding the Hyde Amendment is not the same as drafting policies that would actively promote abortion services (as these sources claim is happening).

Besides the lack of clear separation between news and opinion, what’s even more concerning is the underlying rhetoric and lack of impartial explanation that each article provides: “As per usual, the swamp reacts to any crisis by lining its pockets and by protecting its own. And sadly, the coronavirus crisis is no different. Many will get rich during this crisis – some will go bankrupt, but the politicians will always play their moronic games.” –U.S. Liberty Newswire

Speaking to the Daily Caller, those officials alleged that while negotiating the stimulus with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Pelosi tried to lobby for “several” provisions that stalled bipartisan commitment to the effort. One was a mandate for up to $1 billion to reimburse laboratory claims, which White House officials say would set a precedent of health spending without protections outlined in the Hyde Amendment.” – The Daily Caller:

Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska also slammed Pelosi’s alleged attempt in a statement to National Review: “While schools are closing and hospitals are gearing up, Speaker Pelosi is waging unnecessary culture wars. Speaker Pelosi should be fighting the coronavirus pandemic, not politicizing emergency funding by fighting against the bi-partisan Hyde Amendment.” -The National Review and Decision Magazine

COVID-19 Testing Center in Illinois

Source: Charles Edward Miller

The problem with these reports, beyond the divisive language they use, is their perpetuation that excluding the Hyde Amendment is the same thing as inserting direct federal funding for abortion efforts. On the other hand, left-wing media isn’t all that innocent either. Mother Jones and Vice have both gone on the record to make some ambitious assumptions. Their headlines went on to say: “House Republicans Tried to Capitalize on Coronavirus to Sneak Anti-Abortion Language Into Law”, “Republicans Tried to Sneak Abortion Restrictions into the Coronavirus Bill Anti-choice lawmakers are stalling emergency legislation.”

Again, while there is some truth to these statements, it is blown out of proportion. Instead of arguing in defense of Democratic efforts, these articles serve to flip the narrative through an extremely leftist lens. “Conservative lawmakers have argued that by not including the Hyde Amendment in the coronavirus spending package, Democrats are trying to invalidate current federal spending bans on abortion and allow this new funding to pay for abortion services. “-Mother Jones

Disposed surgical face mask

Source: GoToVan

“As lawmakers neared a deal on a coronavirus rescue package that would include paid sick leave and free virus testing, a few roadblocks emerged. Among them: Republican attempts to wedge anti-choice restrictions into the House’s relief bill, turning—if momentarily—a public health crisis into an abortion debate.

The tensions reportedly revolved around the Hyde Amendment. This decades-old provision blocks federal funds from going to abortion services, preventing millions of low-income Americans on Medicaid from accessing abortion care.”-Vice Media

What left-wing media outlets fail to present is that while the Hyde Amendment is restrictive, it, in and of itself, does not count as ‘multiple restrictions on abortion.’ Passing the stimulus package with the Hyde Amendment won’t make abortion illegal or any more complicated, it would only not allow money for that specific bill to be used for abortion.

Ohio National Guard Officer assisting a local resident

Source: The National Guard

“In fact, House Democrats filed what’s called a “manager’s amendment,” which makes clear that the funding can only be used for “COVID-19 diagnostic tests and related administration or service costs.”

Moreover, the only reason why the Hyde Amendment would ever be excluded from the COVID-19 Response Bill is most likely to prevent indirectly related funds such as paid leave or later down the road policies, such as Romney’s proposed temporary UBI, from being limited in its usage. It would make sense that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as both a woman and a Democrat, would want to ensure that whatever indirect benefits Americans get from the bill, that they could not be penalized later on for using it for personal health matters (such as abortion).

Hopefully, as this stalemate comes to a close, Americans will get the long-awaited help they need and deserve.

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Juliette Reyes Juliette Reyes is a rising high school senior who has an avid passion for economics and governance. Juliette is a current Editor in Chief for the Student Change Organization as well as a journalism fellow for Student Voice. That being said she is very excited to work with the New Voice and offer a plethora of new perspectives on a variety of domestic and internationally based issues. When not writing about elections and centrist policy solutions, she can be found at her local Starbucks reading books on global affairs, raiding a Barnes and Nobles, or at a debate tournament.

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