U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) is pressing the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to halt taxpayer-funded coverage of elective abortions in health plans available to Members of Congress and congressional staff.
In a letter sent to the OPM this week, Daines urged the agency to comply with the Smith Amendment, a long-standing federal law that prohibits the use of taxpayer dollars for elective abortions under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.
“We urge you to stop the Office of Personnel Management from administering government contributions for Members of Congress and Congressional staff in connection with health insurance plans that cover elective abortion, in violation of the longstanding Smith Amendment,” Daines wrote.
According to the senator, OPM has routinely offered plans covering elective abortions to lawmakers and congressional employees, in violation of the Smith Amendment. Data from the 2019 plan year shows that 87% of Gold-level plans in the D.C. State Health Options Program (DC SHOP) included elective abortion coverage, leaving only 9 out of 67 plans without it.
Daines emphasized that taxpayers, who contribute roughly 72 to 75% of these premiums, should not be forced to fund elective abortions. “The Smith Amendment does not allow Members of Congress and Congressional staff to operate under a different set of rules than other federal employees when it comes to taxpayer funding of abortion,” he said.
For 2026, only two health plans through DC Health Link—CareFirst’s BluePreferred PPO Gold and UnitedHealthcare’s Choice Plus Gold—exclude abortion coverage.
Daines concluded his letter by stressing the importance of compliance with federal law and taxpayer accountability: “Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We look forward to working with you to ensure the health and safety of the American people.”
By Montana Newsroom Staff
Read the full letter HERE.
