Early this morning one of the greatest pro-life champions in modern American history Rep. Henry Hyde, former Congressman from Illinois, passed away. The National Right to Life Committee said he was “long considered the premier pro-life champion in the United States Congress.” President Bush recently awarded him the Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor the president can bestow. His most notable achievement, the “Hyde Amendment,” to this day prevents federal tax dollars from supporting abortion in the United States. As the National Review reported today:
The National Right to Life Committee has estimated, conservatively, that the Hyde Amendment has prevented at least one million abortions. That’s one million Americans who are alive today because of Henry Hyde.
Rep. Hyde also helped institute the Mexico City Policy and served as a House manager during the impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton. Even though Hyde was an unapologetic conservative he was respected and well-liked by members of both parties for his friendliness and impressive knowledge of American history and constitutional law. Pray the Lord will raise up strong, principled leaders in our nation like Henry Hyde.