House approves bill that permanently bans taxpayer funding of abortion

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a legislation that would permanently ban the use of taxpayer dollars to fund abortions.

The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, introduced by New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith, was approved on Tuesday by a vote of 283–183. Three Democratic members supported the measure while 11 members declined to vote. No Republicans opposed the legislation, according to Life News.

The measure is intended to make the Hyde Amendment permanent. Since 1977, the amendment restricted federal agencies from directly funding abortions through Medicaid. However, it had to be renewed each year as part of the budget process.

"Two million people who would have been aborted instead survived because public funds were unavailable to effectuate their violent demise, while their mothers benefited from prenatal health care and support," said Smith.

"Two million survivors have had the opportunity to live and enjoy the first and most basic of all human rights—the right to life," he added.

The legislation would also prevent funding of abortion from Obamacare while the lawmakers consider a replacement for the healthcare law. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that 1,036 of Obamacare plans sold in 2014 included abortion in demand, Life Site News reported.

A recent study conducted by the Marist Poll indicated that a majority of Americans oppose the use of taxpayer money to fund abortions. Sixty-one percent oppose the use of tax dollars to fund abortions in the U.S. while 83 percent are against the use of taxpayer money to support abortions overseas.

The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act would need 60 Senate votes to beat a filibuster before it goes to President Donald Trump for a signature. Republicans currently have a 52–48 majority in the Senate. The House approved a similar measure in 2015, but the Senate did not bring it up for a vote.

The White House has released a statement on Tuesday saying the president would sign the legislation into law once it is approved by the Senate.

"The Administration strongly supports H.R. 7." the statement read. "If the President were presented with H.R. 7 in its present form, he would sign the bill," it continued.