President Donald Trump has signed a resolution that could strip public funding from U.S. clinics that provide abortions, including Planned Parenthood.
The April 13 action overturns a rule imposed by the Obama administration regarding how states can distribute Title X funds, money that assists low-income patients in accessing family planning and preventive health services. The Obama administration’s rule had reinforced existing law that states cannot withhold Title X funding from medical providers for reasons other than poor performance or noncompliance. In recent years, states have begun restricting participation by certain types of providers in the Title X program, such as those that provide abortions.
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Donald J. Trump
“Our federal system was set up to allow states to address the unique needs of their own populations when possible, especially [when it] comes to programs as important and sensitive as family planning,” Mr. Spicer said. “With the bill signing, the president has restored respect to states’ rights on this particular issue.”
The Planned Parenthood Federation of America condemned President Trump’s measure, calling it an effort to undermine women’s health and overturn a rule that reinforced protections for millions of patients who rely on Title X for health care.
“Four million people depend on the Title X family planning program, and by signing this bill, President Trump disregards their health and well-being,” Dawn Laguens, executive vice president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America said in a statement. “We should build on the tremendous progress made in this country with expanded access to birth control, instead of enacting policies that take us backward. Too many women still face barriers to health care, especially young women, women of color, those who live in rural areas, and women with low incomes.”
Since 2011, 13 states have restricted participation in the Title X program based on reasons other than the providers’ ability to provide the services, according to a summary of the 2016 rule. For example, Texas in 2011 reduced its contribution to family planning services, and also restructured Title X funds using a tiered approach. The combination of these actions decreased the Title X provider network in Texas from 48 to 36 providers and reduced the number of patients served from 259,606 in 2011 to 166,538 in 2015.
By statute, Title X funds cannot be used for abortions. Title X provides family planning and related reproductive health services such as testing and counseling for sexually transmitted diseases, contraceptive methods including method-specific counseling, breast and cervical cancer screening, and pregnancy tests and counseling.
The Susan B. Anthony List, an antiabortion organization, praised President Trump’s resolution and said it’s another step toward defunding Planned Parenthood and keeping taxpayer dollars away from abortion businesses.
“Prioritizing funding away from Planned Parenthood to comprehensive health care alternatives is a winning issue,” Susan B. Anthony List president, Marjorie Dannenfelser, said in a statement. “We expect to see Congress continue its efforts to redirect additional taxpayer funding away from Planned Parenthood through pro-life health care reform after the spring recess.”
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