The Trump administration came up with a new rule that will partially defund Planned Parenthood and other health services that offer abortion. On Friday, a new regulation, called the Protect Life Rule, was issued stating that no health-care provider can provide abortion services and still get funding from Title X.
Protect Life Rule
Currently, the United States spends around $260 million on Title X funding annually. This money goes to health providers to help low-income families do family planning. Planned Parenthood, however, is one of the biggest recipients of these funds, getting around $60 million a year. [1]
This will all be changed however if Planned Parenthood, or any other health care provider, does not put their family planning and their abortion operations into separate buildings within 120 days of the new directive taking effect. [2]
Not Happy
Many are upset over this new Protect Life Rule; Planned Parenthood has already threatened a lawsuit on the basis that they won’t be letting a woman see all of the options and that it will “further undermine a woman’s constitutionally protected right to safe, legal abortion.”
“Under this rule the doctors and providers who millions of women trust — disproportionately women of color and women who rely on clinics for affordable care — will be blocked from offering them the full range of medically sound reproductive health options because politicians in the White House think they know better,” Senator Patty Murray, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee said. “Well, my message is that extreme Republicans absolutely do not know better than women about women’s health care, and we are going to make sure we are heard.” [3]
The new rule, however, does not ban discussion of abortion in health clinics which receive Title X funding. Instead, it stops requiring counselors to discuss abortion. It also bans counselors from promoting abortion as a method of family planning. Planned Parenthood will continue to receive funding if they create separate locations for their abortion operations.
Money Still Goes to Health-Care Services
Whoever controls the White House, will get to determine whether these funding restrictions stay in place or not.
Others are happy to see the money going to services that don’t offer abortions but still provide healthcare to women.
“The Protect Life Rule does not cut family planning funding by a single dime, and instead directs tax dollars to entities that provide healthcare to women but do not perform abortions.” SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser said. “The Title X program was not intended to be a slush fund for abortion businesses like Planned Parenthood, which violently ends the lives of more than 332,000 unborn babies a year and receives almost $60 million a year in Title X taxpayer dollars. We thank President Trump and Secretary Azar for ensuring that the Title X program is truly about funding family planning, not abortion.”
Planned Parenthood has been an foe to many republicans and pro-life groups for years. Planned Parenthood has, reportedly, over 600 healthcare centers [4] which are used by more than 5 million people a year. Although Democrats have quickly taken to media, vowing to fight this issue, their options remain limited.
Right now, the Democrats don’t have enough votes to do much to oppose this directive; Which means that Planned Parenhood is counting on the 2020 election.
Notes:
- ^“President Donald Trump Defunds Planned Parenthood, Will Cut Almost $60 Million in Taxpayer Funding | LifeNews.com.” LifeNews.com, 22 Feb. 2019, www.lifenews.com/2019/02/22/president-donald-trump-defunds-planned-parenthood-will-cut-almost-60-million-in-taxpayer-funding-2. (go back ↩)
- ^Of Health and Human Services, U. S. Department. “Fact Sheet: Final Title X Rule Detailing Family Planning Grant Program.” HHS.gov, 22 Feb. 2019, www.hhs.gov/about/news/2019/02/22/fact-sheet-final-title-x-rule-detailing-family-planning-grant-program.html. (go back ↩)
- ^“Defunded: New Trump admin rule to cut Planned Parenthood subsidies by almost $60M.” Hot Air, 23 Feb. 2019, hotair.com/archives/2019/02/23/defunded-new-trump-admin-rule-cut-planned-parenthood-subsidies-almost-60m. (go back ↩)
- ^“Planned Parenthood Cut Off From Federal Funding Under Trump Rule.” 23 Feb. 2019, news.yahoo.com/planned-parenthood-cut-off-federal-201153087.html. (go back ↩)
