President Joe Biden is coming under criticism for his position on abortion from a Wisconsin Congressional candidate. PolitiFact Wisconsin is looking at claims about the Hyde Amendment.
The Hyde Amendment has been around for 45 years, and it has prohibited the use of federal dollars in Medicaid or Medicare to pay for abortion.
But Republican Congressional candidate Derrick Van Orden in the La Crosse area made a claim in a tweet about President Biden, stating that ending the amendment would force everyone to pay for abortions on demand.
"The claim from Van Orden was that President Biden would force all Americans to pay for abortion on demand, up to birth, that's a very big claim," said Greg Borowski with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
President Biden did propose ending the Hyde Amendment but that does not mean all abortions, up to birth, would be paid for with federal tax dollars.
PolitiFact Wisconsin says the Hyde Amendment only deals with funding.
"It does not deal with things like when abortions are permitted, how close to birth, how far along in pregnancy, and so forth," said Borowski.
All of that would remain even if the Hyde Amendment was removed.
While President Biden is pro-choice, PolitiFact Wisconsin says he has not advocated support for abortions - up to birth.
"Joe Biden has said he supports various Supreme Court rulings including one that allows states to regulate abortion, so long as it does not create an undue burden on the woman seeking the abortion," said Borowski.
PolitiFact Wisconsin rated this claim mostly false - there is an element of truth to Van Orden's claim but it ignores critical facts.
