House Passes Measure to Nullify Last-Minute Gift from Obama to Planned Parenthood

By Dave Andrusko
National Right to Life

The House of Representatives today voted 230-188 to nullify an 11th hour Obama rule preventing states from redirecting Title X funds away from Planned Parenthood.

H. J. Res. 43, sponsored by Rep. Diane Black (R-TN), would use the Congressional Review Act to address Obama’s Department of Health and Human Services’ regulation designed to prevent states from redirecting Title X funds away from unsuitable organizations such as Planned Parenthood. The measure now goes to the Senate.

The last minute gift to Planned Parenthood took effect on January 18–literally with just two days left in Obama’s presidency.

In her opening statement, Rep. Black said

In December of last year, the Obama Administration decided to intervene, setting unprecedented new parameters on how states must select Title X grantees that were specifically designed to prop up its political allies in the abortion industry. 

With my resolution, I’m proposing that we go back just a few short weeks to December 15, 2016 – the day before the Obama Administration decided to reconfigure a 45-year old program with this ill-conceived order.

 That is all my resolution would do.

I urge my colleagues to give states the freedom and the flexibility to take care of their citizens the best way they know how by voting yes on H.J. Res. 43.

The HHS regulation “is nothing but a veiled attempt to funnel taxpayer dollars to abortion providers like Planned Parenthood,” said Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.) 

“That’s not healthcare. State governments should be able to distribute funds to meet the needs of their constituents. They should be able to decide to not use these funds for abortion providers.”

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