Appropriations Bill Fails to Provide Needed Funding for Reproductive Health

(Washington, D.C.) — Today, the U.S. House of Representatives released its omnibus appropriations bill, which will fund the federal government through the current fiscal year. Among its provisions:

• The Title X Family Planning Program is funded at its current level of $286.5 million.
• The Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Program is funded at its current level of $101 million.
• The Hyde amendment and other harmful restrictions on abortion care coverage remain in the bill.

The following statement can be attributed to Power to Decide CEO Raegan McDonald-Mosley, MD, MPH:

“Power to Decide is grateful for the many congressional champions who proposed and supported urgently needed increases for programs like Title X and TPP. Despite their best efforts, we find ourselves with a funding bill that does not meet the current moment. As the pandemic wears on and people across the country struggle to access birth control, family planning and other essential health care, it is deeply disappointing that funding increases for these programs were not included in this year’s appropriations bill.

“Conversely, the bill retains the harmful Hyde Amendment, which for far too long has been a barrier to abortion care for people who rely on public health insurance and people struggling to make ends meet. All of us deserve adequately funded programs and policies that can help us protect our health and achieve our goals, for ourselves and our families. We must undo these harmful policies that put abortion and other health care services out of reach for many simply because of their income and zip code.”

Power to Decide is a private, non-partisan, non-profit organization that works to ensure all people—no matter who they are, where they live or what their economic status might be—have the power to decide if, when and under what circumstances to get pregnant and have a child. Please visit us at www.PowerToDecide.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.