The Obama administration has yanked federal Title X family planning funds from Texas for its Medicaid Women’s Health Program because a new Texas law requires participating health providers NOT “perform or promote elective abortions or affiliate with entities that perform or promote elective abortions.”
For President Obama, "job one" is ensuring the flow of tax dollars to abortionists.
For background, read Planned Parenthood Defunded by More States (including Texas) and also read about Indiana's Defunding PP Battle with Obama as well as Obama Re-funds Planned Parenthood in New Hampshire
UPDATE 8/22/12: 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans rules Texas CAN defund Planned Parenthood
UPDATE 2/24/12: Texas Defunds Planned Parenthood Despite Obama Admin Attacks
UPDATE 3/15/12 - CBS reports women's health care threatened by Obama action against Texas (video):
-- From "Perry Chides Administration for Turning Down Texas Family Planning Proposal" posted at FoxNews.com 12/13/11
Texas Gov. Rick Perry accused the Obama administration of "holding women's health hostage" for the sake of a "pro-abortion agenda" . . .
The Obama administration reportedly claimed doing so would constitute a violation of the Social Security Act.
"Not applying these provisions would eliminate Medicaid beneficiaries’ ability to receive family planning services from specific providers for reasons not related to their qualifications to provide such services," the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said in a letter.
"We are committed to protecting life in Texas, and state law prohibits giving state dollars to abortion providers and affiliates -- a fact the Obama administration ignores," Perry said. "I strongly urge the administration to do the right thing and grant this waiver, so Texas women can access critical preventative health services, including breast and cervical cancer screenings, rather than making them pay the price for its pro-abortion agenda."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Obama administration approves one Texas health waiver, rejects another" by Kaiser Health News 12/13/11
In one letter sent to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission on Monday, Cindy Mann, director of the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services, said the state’s request to circumvent federal rules -- namely the Social Security Act -- by restricting family planning providers in the Medicaid Women’s Health Program was not acceptable. The state’s request was in keeping with lawmakers’ efforts last legislative session to try to force Planned Parenthood, which provides abortions at some of its facilities, but in none affiliated with the Women’s Health Program, out of business.
Tom Suehs, HHSC’s executive commissioner, said in a statement that his agency is disappointed with the family planning decision, “which is inconsistent with federal law that gives states the authority to establish qualifications for Medicaid providers.”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Obama Admin Blocks Texas’ De-Funding of Planned Parenthood" by Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com 12/12/11
Earlier this year, Texas yanked about $64 million in funding from Planned Parenthood and directed the funds to agencies that do not do abortions. In conjunction with that, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission submitted a request to the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services to continue its family planning program without funding Planned Parenthood or other abortion agencies.
As it has in Indiana and New Hampshire, the Obama administration denied the request . . .
Joe Pojman, the director of Texas Alliance for Life [said] “We believe the State of Texas has every right to deny millions of tax dollars to Planned Parenthood, which is what the Texas Legislature and Governor Perry has chosen to do. Senate Bill 7, passed last summer during a special legislative session, prohibits Medicaid tax dollars under the Women’s Health Program from going to abortion providers and their affiliated organizations.”
“This bill excludes several dozen Planned Parenthood sites from the Women’s Health Program, but it does not exclude any other hundreds of Women’s Health Program providers in Texas. Many of the other providers offer comprehensive primary and preventative care to low-income women in addition to family planning, which Planned Parenthood is unable or unwilling to provide,” he continued. “By threatening to cancel the Women’s Health Program in Texas, the Obama Administration is showing it would sooner deny tens of millions of dollars of medical services to low-income women rather than allow the State of Texas to cut off tax funding to Planned Parenthood.”
The Texas de-funding has already resulted in the closing of 12 Planned Parenthood centers.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Obama Bashed For Blocking Planned Parenthood De-Funding" by Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com 12/14/11
The Susan B. Anthony List today criticized the Obama Administration for what it calls “its latest assault on the right of states—this time Texas—to pass legislation that would defund abortion-provider Planned Parenthood of taxpayer funding.”
“President Obama has proven time and again that he will exert whatever force necessary to ensure that his abortion ally Planned Parenthood continues to receive taxpayer subsidies,” said Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. “This includes brazenly defying the will of states to make their own decisions as to where they send taxpayer funding. Once again the most pro-abortion President in our country’s history has shown his allegiance to Planned Parenthood is unwavering.”
“Including New Hampshire, eight states have successfully cut Planned Parenthood’s funding to the tune of nearly $60.4 million dollars. . . . ” she added.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read Investigation of Planned Parenthood by Congress
