Democrats Introduce Bill to Repeal ‘Racist’ Hyde Amendment

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Democratic senators plan to introduce legislation that would repeal the Hyde Amendment, arguing that the decades-old legislation is both “anti-choice” and “blatantly racist.”

The Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance Act will be introduced in Congress Thursday, the HuffPost reported, by Democratic Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Democratic California Sen. Barbara Lee. The legislation demands the reversal of the 1976 Hyde Amendment, which bans the use of federal funds for abortions.

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72-year-old Congresswoman Accuses Fellow Dems of Ageism, Sexism for Picking Younger Black Male for Leadership Role

by Luke Rosiak   A 72-year-old black congresswoman accused her fellow Democratic House members of ageism and sexism after they selected a younger black male, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, to lead the House Democratic Caucus on Wednesday. The caucus chairmanship is the fifth-most powerful leadership position. Unlike the hotly contested race, all of the top four were elections in which only one person ran. Both candidates for Caucus chair — Jeffries of Brooklyn and Queens and Barbara Lee of California — are members of the Congressional Black Caucus, an indication of the role identity politics are playing in Democrats’ internal leadership races. “Lee, 72, argued that, with African-American women serving as a backbone to the Democratic Party, it made sense for an African-American woman to serve in Democratic leadership,” The Huffington Post wrote. But when Lee lost the race 123-113, she attributed her loss to ageism and sexism among House Democrats. The Huffington Post wrote: Asked after the vote whether ageism or sexism played a role in the results, Lee replied: “Well, I think you heard and saw what took place. So I absolutely think that’s the case.” The top three House leaders — Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer and Jim Clyburn —…

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