Representative Diane Black is calling on the national pro-life movement to defeat a new rule from the Obama administration regarding abortion services.
The new proposal from the Department of Health and Human Services could prevent states from blocking Title X funding, which provides federal dollars to abortion services like Planned Parenthood.
The proposed rule would prevent states from restricting the ability of “specific types of providers” to receive Title X funds “based on reasons unrelated to their ability to provide required services in an effective manner.”
Black, who authored the Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015, says that this rule does not come as a surprise and called it another example of the Obama administration’s efforts to protect Planned Parenthood and to circumvent Congress.
The Republican lawmaker from Tennessee said, “We’ve known all along that the Obama administration will go to untold lengths to protect its friends in the big abortion industry,” “Now, they have taken the unprecedented step of thwarting states’ rights with a shady proposed rule change that prevents states from funding the providers who will best serve their citizens.”
She pointed out that these are tax dollars that are sent from states to the federal government — who then turns around ands sends them back. Black wants states to have some say in how those dollars are spent since local officials have a better understanding of the needs of their constituents.
Tennessee has effectively cut off funding to Planned Parenthood, while states like Florida and Texas are working on similar measures to undermine state laws.