Dan Coats: “We are attempting to maintain a consistent Federal policy relative to abortion. That policy, known as the Hyde…”

“We are attempting to maintain a consistent Federal policy relative to abortion. That policy, known as the Hyde amendment, essentially says that taxpayers' money should not be used against the wishes of taxpayers for elective abortions except in some very, very limited circumstances. Separation of that has been accepted on a consensus, at least a majority, basis now for a couple of decades. We are trying to maintain that. We do not want to make an exception in this instance because we do not think an exception needs to be made. There has been no demonstration that women who find themselves with unwanted pregnancies in the military are denied the right to have an abortion. They have that right. They can exercise that right. We are simply saying we do not think we should compel the American taxpayer to pay for it. By a majority vote, time after time after time, upheld by this Congress, we have disallowed the use of Federal funds for abortions except in cases where the life of the mother is threatened or in cases of rape or incest.”