ABORTION/HHS/PLANNED PARENTHOOD/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/WOMEN: “The Trump administration announced Friday [3-29-19] that it’s awarding about $250 million in Title X federal family planning grants to states and providers across the country. The providers include an anti-abortion chain of clinics, as well as several states and provider groups that are threatening to drop out of the program if conservative-led changes go into effect in a few weeks. The new rules — designed largely to partially achieve conservatives’ long-sought goal of cutting off public funding for Planned Parenthood — would block Title X grants from going to groups that make abortion referrals, potentially leaving gaps in care for low-income women. It’s already illegal to use federal taxpayer dollars for abortion, with very limited exceptions. According to a list of grantees posted on HHS’ website Friday, seven Planned Parenthood affiliates in eight states are still set to receive funding through 2022 beginning on Monday. Oregon and Washington state’s health departments will also continue to serve as the sole grantees in those states. Those states and Planned Parenthood are suing to block the new anti-abortion rules due to take effect May 3, and threatening to withdraw unless federal courts step in.”
–Rachel Ruben and Alice Miranda Ollstein, “Millions in family planning grants given to groups and states fighting Trump’s policy changes,” Politico, March 29, 2019 12:30 pm