FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 29, 2019
Contact: Audrey Sandusky, 202-344-5805, asandusky@nfprha.org

House Funding Proposal Would Boost Family Planning Program Funding

Washington, DC – Today, the US House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) released its draft fiscal year (FY) 2020 funding bill that includes $400 million for the Title X family planning program. The following is a statement from Clare Coleman, President & CEO of the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA).

“We are very gratified to see the House subcommittee provide a much-needed boost in funding for the nation’s family planning program, and truly appreciate the leadership of Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro and her colleagues in proposing this significant increase. When Congress commits more funding to Title X, many more poor and low-income people have access to high-quality family planning and sexual health care offered by expert and trusted family planning providers throughout the nation. While it is estimated that at least $737 million is needed to meet the need of subsidized family planning care in the US, $400 million for FY 2020 would help Title X providers meet substantially more of the demonstrated need for such care than the roughly 1 in 5 people who can be served today.

“At the same time, NFPRHA notes with disappointment that the funding bill leaves in place the Hyde Amendment, which perpetuates disparities in abortion access by limiting the use of federal funds to pay for abortion care. Access to health care should not be limited because of a person’s income. To support the dignity of all patients, we urge Congress to remove the Hyde amendment from this and future appropriations bills.”

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NFPRHA is a membership organization representing publicly funded family planning providers and administrators nationwide. NFPRHA advances and elevates the importance of family planning in the nation’s health care system and promotes and supports the work of family planning providers and administrators, especially those in the safety net. For more information, visit nationalfamilyplanning.org.