President Joe Biden’s top pick for deputy budget director, Shalanda Young, claimed access to abortion is considered “a matter of economic and racial justice,” in written answers for her nomination.
When asked about the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits taxpayer-funded abortions except for some cases, Young expressed hesitation at keeping the policy due to its effect on “women of color.”
“The president has spoken in favor of Congress ending the Hyde Amendment as part of his commitment to providing comprehensive health care for all women. Further, eliminating the Hyde Amendment is a matter of economic and racial justice because it most significantly impacts Medicaid recipients, who are low-income and more likely to be women of color.”
Both the Senate Homeland Security Committee (7-6) and Budget Committee (14-8) approved Young’s nomination but some Republicans who previously considered supporting her nomination voted against her.
“This is one where our country is so deeply divided on abortion, where we’ve been able to come together and decide, at a minimum, let’s not tell people with a deep view based on their conscience on this, that they have to pay taxpayer funds for abortion,” Republican Sen. Rob Portman said after he voted “no” to passing along Young’s nomination.
Pro-life groups spoke out against Young’s stance on the Hyde Amendment, criticizing her for ignoring “the strong majority of Americans, including millions of Democrats and Independents, [who] oppose forcing taxpayers to fund abortion on demand.”
“Shalanda Young’s radical support for abortion on demand ignores the devastating toll of abortion on black communities: an abortion rate four times higher than that of their white counterparts. This isn’t justice – it is a profound injustice,” said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. “The fact is, the Hyde Amendment saves 60,000 lives every year.”
Earlier this week, White House chief of staff Ron Klain Young said Young is a “very serious candidate” to replace Neera Tanden as Biden’s pick for director of the OMB. Tanden requested the White House remove her from the process after it became clear that many Republicans and Democrats alike were not pleased with her track record insulting them on social media.
“Unfortunately, it now seems clear that there is no path forward to gain confirmation, and I do not want continued consideration of my nomination to be a distraction from your other priorities,” Tanden said.
