POWER TO DECIDE PLEASED THAT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PASSES APPROPRIATIONS

(Washington, D.C.) - Power to Decide is pleased that last Friday the U.S. House of Representatives passed on a 217 to 197 vote, H.R. 7617, a package of spending bills for fiscal year 2021. The package included six bills that fund key programs critical for reproductive health for women and young people.

The bills include:

• Level funding and key program protections for the Title X Family Planning Program at $286.5 million and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program at $101 million.
• Language that protects the integrity of these programs.
• Language blocking the domestic gag rule and providing a pathway to reverse the damage done to women’s reproductive health as a result of the rule.
• A new measure introduced by Representatives Frankel (D-FL) and Lee (D-CA) that blocks implementation of the Trump Administration’s rules allowing employers to choose not to cover birth control.

“Power to Decide is pleased that the House of Representatives passed legislation that funds critical programs that support people in achieving their reproductive well-being.” said Gillian Sealy, CEO, Power to Decide. “It is also incredibly important that this legislation includes language that blocks the domestic gag rule. Equally as important for women’s reproductive health is the bill’s restriction of an employer’s ability to refuse to include birth control in their health care plans.”

Despite efforts of many champions in the House, the bill still includes the Hyde amendment, annual appropriations language that bans federal funding for abortion care and primarily impacts low-income women who depend on the Medicaid program for their health insurance.

“We are grateful to our House champions who are fighting against this Administration’s attacks on women’s reproductive health,” Sealy added. “It is critical that we continue to fight to protect the programs and policies that give everyone the power to decide if, when and under what circumstances to get pregnant and have a child.”

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.