The Trump administration announced new Health and Human Services regulations Friday that will force clinics providing abortions to either discontinue the services or lose federal funding.
The objective is to disentangle family planning services from abortion. White House officials argue new regulations are a "prohibition of abortion as a method of family planning” and "would better protect victims of sexual assault, incest and rape.”
Pro-life groups are praising the move as long overdue.
Family Research Center President Tony Perkins:
President Trump's HHS is taking a major step toward the ultimate goal of ending taxpayers' forced partnership with the abortion industry. The new regulations will draw a bright line between abortion centers and family planning programs -- just as the federal law requires and the Supreme Court has upheld.
It's a shame that the federal Title X family planning program has been co-mingled with abortion ever since President Bill Clinton issued regulations not only removing the wall of separation President Reagan issued, but even requiring groups to refer for abortion. The result is that Planned Parenthood -- an organization that's been under criminal investigation for selling baby body parts -- gets roughly $60 million per year through what has become a slush fund for the abortion giant.
Planned Parenthood and other abortion centers will now have to choose between dropping their abortion services from any location that gets Title X dollars and moving those abortion operations offsite. Either way, this will loosen the group's hold on tens of millions of tax dollars.
The pro-life Congress will get another crack at Planned Parenthood's federal gravy train in multiple federal programs in which they get over $400 million each year. Until then, President Trump continues to fulfill his campaign promise that his administration will advocate for mothers and their unborn children every day he occupies the White House and take important steps to ensure taxpayers are not subsidizing the abortion industry.
Knights of Columbus:
Today marks an important step in protecting the lives of unborn children in the United States. The Knights of Columbus applauds the Trump administration’s announcement that it intends to end the use of Title X taxpayer funding for centers that perform, support or refer abortions.
Americans should not be forced to have their tax dollars fund abortion. In fact, Knights of Columbus Marist polling conducted earlier this year found that most Americans believe abortion is morally wrong and six in 10 want an end to its funding with tax dollars.
There is a consensus that crosses party lines. Of those polled, four in 10 who identify as pro-choice and more than four in 10 Democrats—along with the overwhelming majority of Republicans—want to see an end to taxpayer funding of abortion.
March for Life President Jeanne Mancini
March for Life applauds HHS Secretary Azar and President Trump’s entire administration for reinstating Title X regulations that disentangle taxpayer dollars from funding abortion. This money will now be redirected to comprehensive family health and planning centers that don’t perform abortions and understand that abortion is not healthcare. The pro-life grassroots will be pleased to see President Trump deliver on yet another pro-life promise, and we look forward to continued progress in restoring a culture of life here in the United States.
Susan B. Anthony List:
The #ProtectLife rule will not cut a single dime from family planning. Instead, it will direct tax dollars to Title X centers that do not promote or perform abortions, such as community & rural health centers that outnumber Planned Parenthood facilities 23:1#NoGagRule #ProLife pic.twitter.com/Xtk4L96pAA
— Susan B Anthony List (@SBAList) May 18, 2018
Heritage Action:
The Trump administration deserves tremendous credit for protecting the sanctity of life and ensuring taxpayer dollars are not funneled to abortion providers. In 2016 Planned Parenthood received over $500 million in taxpayer funding that helped them conduct nearly 900 abortions every day. This announcement will help defend the innocent unborn victims in the womb who should be entitled to the same right to live as all of us.
In May, 85 pro-life groups sent a letter to President Trump urging him to implement new regulations on abortion funding.
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