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Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2023
12/15/2023, 3:53 PM
Summary of Bill HR 128
If passed, this bill would prevent any federal funds, including Medicaid reimbursements, from being allocated to Planned Parenthood or any of its affiliates. Supporters of the bill argue that taxpayer dollars should not be used to support an organization that provides abortion services, which they believe goes against their moral or religious beliefs.
Opponents of the bill, on the other hand, argue that Planned Parenthood provides essential healthcare services to millions of women, including cancer screenings, contraception, and STI testing. They argue that defunding Planned Parenthood would limit access to these vital services for low-income and underserved communities. The bill has sparked heated debate in Congress, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle expressing strong opinions on the issue. As of now, the bill is still in the early stages of the legislative process, and it remains to be seen whether it will ultimately be passed into law.
Congressional Summary of HR 128
Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2023
This bill restricts federal funding for Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc. or any of its affiliates or clinics for one year.
Specifically, it prohibits funding those entities unless they certify that the affiliates and clinics will not perform, and will not provide funds to entities that perform, abortions during that year. If the certification requirement is not met, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture must recoup any federal assistance received by those entities.
However, the bill's funding restriction does not apply to abortions performed in cases of rape or incest or when necessary to resolve a physical condition that endangers a woman's life.
The bill also provides additional funding for community health centers for the one-year period. These funds are subject to the same abortion-related restrictions and exceptions.
