Rogers Votes to Empower States to Withhold Funding from Abortion Providers

Press Release

U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) voted for a resolution to overturn the Obama Administration's late attempt to funnel funding to Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the resolution, H.J. Res. 43, disapproving of the Obama Administration's rule that prevents states from eliminating abortion providers from Title X grant distribution.

"Planned Parenthood performs a third of a million abortions every year and receives half a billion taxpayer dollars annually. H.J. Res 43 is a pro-life step in the right direction, empowering each state to prevent taxpayer dollars from being used for this purpose," said Congressman Rogers. "Instead, this legislation protects women's health by allowing states to redirect those dollars to facilities that preserve the gift of life and health."

A GAO report in 2015 indicated Planned Parenthood received $201 million over a three year period through the Title X program.

In 1970, Title X funding was authorized to provide family planning services to low income women. However, the Obama Administration's final rule in December 2016 forced states to provide Title X funding to abortion providers as well. This resolution returns flexibility to the states, allowing them to direct funding to all local health departments, hospitals, federally qualified health centers and family planning centers, eliminating any pressure to fund abortion providers.

Rogers also voted for the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2017 (H.R. 7), prohibiting taxpayer dollars from being used to fund abortions through government programs, like Medicaid. The bill passed the House last month and now heads to the U.S. Senate for consideration.

Source