House Democrats, led by Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus co-chairs Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Barbara Lee (D-CA), introduced a resolution Thursday condemning the Trump administration’s proposed Title X rule which would stop organizations that receive federal funding for family planning from providing or referring for abortions.
Abortion counseling is no longer required for grant recipients under the proposed rule, but it is not prohibited.
The White House emphasized this in a statement last week, saying, “contrary to recent media reports, HHS’s proposal does not include the so-called ‘gag rule’ on counseling about abortion that was part of the Reagan Administration’s Title X rule.”
Nevertheless, House Democrats call the rule a “gag rule” in their resolution claiming it bans “health care providers supported with Title X funds from referring or counseling patients on their full range of reproductive options, including abortion care, unless patients explicitly request abortion information.”
The resolution would recognize “that patients’ health should always come first, including that patients be able to rely on their medical providers to get medically accurate and evidence-based information about their full range of healthcare options, including information about access to safe and legal abortion.”
A companion resolution was introduced in the Senate.
Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, which stands to lose up to $60 million in funding from the rule, thanked the Democrats for the resolution.
Thank you, @PattyMurray, @SenGillibrand, @SenBaldwin, @RepDianaDegette, @RepBarbaraLee, @repjoecrowley, @repjudychu, & @NitaLowrey, for introducing resolutions to oppose Trump's dangerous gag rule! #NoGagRule
— Planned Parenthood Action (@PPact) May 25, 2018