Within the $4.89 trillion annual budget proposal the White House recently submitted to Congress is a plan to cut funding for abortion providers like Planned Parenthood.
The Fiscal Year 2021 plan is intended to eliminate the taxpayer funding that Planned Parenthood receives through the US Departments of Labor and Health & Human Services (HHS). It would also take away funding for the United Nations Population Fund and strengthen federal conscience protections through the Conscience Protection Act.
As stated within the plan:
“The Budget prioritizes the value of human life by ensuring that Federal funding does not support abortions The Budget proposes to prohibit Federal funding, such as in the Title X Family Planning and Medicaid programs, for certain entities that provide abortion services. The Budget also protects conscience rights, prohibits coercion in healthcare, and allows private parties to enforce such rights in Federal court. With these protections, the Administration will continue to ensure robust protection of conscience rights and religious liberty.”
While the Trump administration was successful in excluding abortion providers from the Title X program, few expect the pro-life provisions within FY2021 to be included in the final budget. In terms of funding, Planned Parenthood has received over $500 million from federal taxpayers since 2016, and its most recent annual report indicated the corporation had received $616 million.
Subsidies to the abortion industry have continued despite repeat promises from the president and congressional Republicans. This has frustrated some, and the reasoning appears to be due to a variety of factors, including Senate filibuster rules. Even with Republicans having the majority, these rules require Democrats to agree to most bills. But some conservatives have argued with the proper focus, pro-life victories are possible within budget plans.
