Two Republican members of Congress, Rep. Mark Harris of North Carolina and Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois, have recently introduced a bill aimed at halting the use of federal funds for facilitating abortion access for unaccompanied minors who are in the United States without legal permission. This legislative move seeks to permanently prevent taxpayer dollars from covering costs such as transportation and other services related to abortions for these individuals.
The bill is a reaction to a policy instituted during the Biden administration, which mandated the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to provide and finance travel for unaccompanied minors needing medical care, inclusive of abortion services, even in cases where federal funds could not directly pay for the abortion procedure itself. The policy, which was finalized in April 2024, has been criticized for potentially circumventing state laws and the Hyde Amendment, a legislative provision barring the use of federal funds for abortions since 1976.
In a statement, Rep. Harris expressed his disapproval of taxpayer money being used to "shuttle illegal aliens across state lines for abortions," emphasizing the need to bring an end to such policies and restore accountability to federal programs. The legislation put forth by Harris and Miller clearly delineates the prohibition of federal spending on a wide range of services, including travel, lodging, child care, and translation, if the services are intended to assist an unaccompanied minor in obtaining an abortion.
The bill has attracted a considerable amount of support from Republican co-sponsors across at least 28 states. Among the supporters are well-known figures such as Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Thomas Massie, Randy Weber, and Clay Higgins. It has also garnered endorsements from prominent pro-life organizations.
The legislation, if passed, would reinforce the Trump administration's rollback of the prior rule and clarify the scope of the Hyde Amendment, with the goal of preventing future administrations from using ORR resources in a manner that facilitates abortion access for minors who are in the country without authorization. Both Harris and Miller have framed the bill as a means to safeguard taxpayer funds and ensure the protection of child welfare.
As the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reviews the regulation for compliance and Congress moves forward with the legislation, debates are anticipated to intensify regarding the role of federal agencies in providing services to unaccompanied minors and the extent to which taxpayer money should be involved in abortion-related services. The outcome of this legislative effort could set a significant precedent in the ongoing discussion about federal involvement in such sensitive areas.
