Southern Baptists believe every life is made in the image of God and is worthy of protection, beginning with the preborn. Life begins at conception, and abortion denies precious human lives both personhood and protection (Jer. 1:5; Psa. 139:13).
Southern Baptists affirm that every human is created in the image of God. As stated in a 2022 resolution of the Southern Baptist Convention, the Bible clearly and unequivocally affirms “the preborn child is a person, bearing the image of God, from the moment of conception” (Gen. 1:27; 9:6), regardless of age, level of ability, or stage of development. This is a truth to which Christians in every century have testified and are called to bear witness in every age and in every sphere of life. Furthermore, in a 2021 resolution, Southern Baptists called on “Congress and the President to uphold the Hyde Amendment and all pro-life Amendments, to protect life, and to prevent taxpayers from being complicit in the moral evil of abortion.”
In the aftermath of Roe v. Wade, the Hyde Amendment was introduced to prevent taxpayer dollars from being misused to fund abortion. In every Congress since 1976, legislators have voted to protect the consciences of pro-life Americans and ensure taxpayer consciences are not implicated through the usage of federal funding for abortion. This provision has been passed as a temporary rider, which lapses each year upon the expiration of the annual appropriations bill.
The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act is a significant step toward respecting human life and the right of conscience. This legislation permanently codifies the Hyde Amendment and other restrictions on the federal funding of abortion into law. Under the current process, this language must be renewed each year through the federal appropriations process, leaving the status of vital pro-life riders uncertain as the makeup of Congress is continually changing.
It is unconscionable for the government to compel Americans to fund the destruction of preborn lives. The ERLC denounces any act or provision that supports or funds abortions. Through advocating for passage of the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, we believe this will establish a baseline measure and allow pro-life work to continually progress, ensuring more preborn lives are saved and that the consciences of taxpayers and medical workers alike are protected.
The ERLC strongly supports the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. We ask Congress continue its efforts to disable any federal funding of abortion by passing the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act.
