The ongoing legislative standoff on Capitol Hill over Sen. John Cornyn’s sex-trafficking bill should never have devolved into an argument about federal funding of abortions. If Cornyn cared enough about the success of his legislation — and I know he does because he’s talked repeatedly to our editorial board about it — then he would never have allowed the poison pill of a Hyde Amendment reference to be inserted into it.
The Hyde Amendment denies the use of federal funds (primarily for recipients of Medicaid and federal health insurance) for abortions except in the case of rape, incest or when the mother’s life is in danger. Illegal human trafficking was never meant to be a target of this provision.
What no one on Capitol Hill — Democrat or Republican — appears to dispute is that all forms of human trafficking, but especially sex trafficking, is wrong and must be punished through strong federal enforcement measures. Cornyn’s bill should have sailed through. … [visit site to read more]
