Republicans' Spending Proposal Would Remove All Funding for Title X Family Planning Program

February 10, 2011 — Republicans on Wednesday announced a seven-month fiscal year 2011 continuing resolution proposal that would cut all funding for Title X, the 40-year-old federal grant program dedicated to providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services, The Hill's "Healthwatch" reports. More than 4,500 health centers nationwide receive funding through the program (Millman, "Healthwatch," The Hill, 2/9). The program helps provide family planning and reproductive health services to low-income women, including contraceptive counseling and supplies, pelvic and breast exams, safer-sex counseling and basic infertility counseling. No Title X funds can be used for abortion services (Women's Health Policy Report, 2/2).

According to a press release from the House Appropriations Committee, the continuing resolution proposal to allocate federal spending for the remainder of the fiscal year would cut $327 million from the program for FY 2011. The program had been authorized $327 million in funding and was appropriated $317 million for FY 2011, Politico reports. The continuing resolution would go further than another bill (HR 217), introduced by Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), that would strip Title X funding from any organization that provides abortion services.

"The real impact of eliminating the Title X program is that millions of women across the country will lose access to basic primary and preventive health care, such as lifesaving cancer screenings, contraception, STI testing and treatment, and annual exams," Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Cecile Richards said, noting that six in 10 women who access health care at a family planning health center consider it their primary source of health care (Kliff, Politico, 2/9).

"While these politicians attack abortion coverage from every angle, they now want to deny funding for birth control, even though that's the best way to prevent unintended pregnancy," NARAL Pro-Choice America President Nancy Keenan said, adding, "Americans will not stand for this blatant hypocrisy" ("Healthwatch," The Hill, 2/9).

The House is expected to vote next week on the continuing resolution (Politico, 2/9).