Michael J. New, Ph.D.

This paper combines a re-print of the original On Point 12, “Hyde @ 40: Analyzing the Impact of the Hyde Amendment,” originally published in September 2016, with two addenda containing updated calculations, the most recent of which is from June 2023.

Recent birth data from the Lone Star State provide a compelling statistical indication that the Texas Heartbeat Act has likely saved thousands of lives.

On September 1, 2021, the Texas Heartbeat Act took effect. This legislation protects preborn children in Texas after a heartbeat is able to be detected, which science has proven can happen as early as the sixth week of gestation

This paper provides a history of the Hyde Amendment and summarizes the substantial body of academic and policy research which shows that the Hyde Amendment lowers abortion rates. It uses this research to estimate the number of lives saved by the Hyde Amendment since it was first signed into law in 1976. Our estimates indicate that as of July 2020, the Hyde Amendment has saved approximately 2,409,311 lives.

Late Friday afternoon, Planned Parenthood released their annual report for 2019-2020. As always, this report contains glossy color photos and statements from Planned Parenthood leadership. However, the most interesting part of these annual reports is the data they include about Planned Parenthood’s services.  Planned Parenthood spokespeople and their allies in the media frequently argue that abortion constitutes a small fraction of their activities. However, the data contained in their annual reports tell a much, much different story.

Addendum: Since the Charlotte Lozier Institute’s analysis of the Hyde Amendment was published in November of 2016, three states have changed how their Medicaid programs cover elective abortions.

This month, the Kansas state legislature will consider legislation that would expand Kansas’ Medicaid program. Currently, the Kansas Medicaid program does not fund elective abortions. However, in April 2019 in Hodes & Nauser v. Schmidt, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled that access to abortion is a “fundamental right” under the state's Bill of Rights.

On Tuesday, the Guttmacher Institute released a report which included updated abortion data from the year 2017. This new Guttmacher data provides further evidence that America’s abortion rate continues its steady decline.

Many mainstream media outlets are unfairly criticizing the Trump administration for removing the phrase "Sexual and Reproductive Health" from a United Nations resolution on sexual violence. Such a policy change was necessary to ensure that this resolution did not support legal abortion.

The eyes of Maine and the entire country are on the Maine state legislature this week.