EXCLUSIVE: Biden is punishing states that do not actively ‘promote abortion’ by withholding millions in taxpayer-funded grants, say Republicans pushing bill to STOP pro-life ‘discrimination’
- The GOP lawmakers say Biden administration is the ‘most pro-abortion White House in history’
- New legislation would prevent discrimination by the White House
- Latest push in the Senate comes after Biden’s HHS suspended $4.5m from Oklahoma’s Department of Health
A group of GOP lawmakers are working to prevent the Biden administration from ‘punishing’ pro-life states who are not promoting access to abortion.
Senator James Lankford (R-OK), who has called the Biden administration the ‘most pro-abortion White House in history,’ is leading the charge by introducing a new bill Wednesday.
The legislation would prevent discrimination by the White House – which Republicans accuse of blocking millions in taxpayer-funded family planning grant money from going to pro-life states and their agencies.
‘This bill stops HHS’ discrimination against states that value the life of every child and ensure access to high quality and affordable health care,’ Lankford told DailyMail.com exclusively.
The bill states that in awarding funding until Title X of the Public Health Service Act, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ‘may not discriminate against eligible states, individuals, or other entities for refusing to counsel or refer for abortions.’
HHS under the leadership of Sec. Xavier Becerra is violating his own stated goal to ‘protect and strengthen equitable access to high quality and affordable health care,’ says Lankford
Lankford: ‘The Biden Administration’s obsession with increasing the number of abortions in America is so extreme they are willing to deny needy Oklahomans healthcare access unless Oklahoma agrees to promote abortion’
Lankford’s push in the Senate comes after Biden’s HHS suspended $4.5 million from Oklahoma’s Department of Health because the agency refused to refer residents for abortions.
The senator said the state has an ‘obligation’ to abide by laws, and therefore it is ‘absurd’ that the administration would enact this punishment on Oklahoma’s health department for following federal statute – which ‘explicitly forbids’ using federal funds to refer for abortions.
Federal statute forbids Title X being used in programs where abortion is a method of family planning.
“Many Oklahomans, especially those in rural areas with limited access to affordable health care, rely on Oklahoma State Department of Health’s family planning program, which is funded through Title X grant awards,’ Lankford continued.
‘But the Biden Administration’s obsession with increasing the number of abortions in America is so extreme they are willing to deny needy Oklahomans healthcare access unless Oklahoma agrees to promote abortion.’
The senator said the family planning program that receives the grant provides services such as cancer screening, pregnancy prevention, breast exams and depression screenings and referrals.
Therefore, HHS under the leadership of Sec. Xavier Becerra is violating his own stated goal to ‘protect and strengthen equitable access to high quality and affordable health care,’ says Lankford.
Sens. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., and Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., joined Lankford in supporting the legislation.
Last week, the White House announced that President Biden will veto a defense bill passed by House Republicans if he is presented with it in large part due to its anti-abortion provisions.
HHS Sec. Becerra shakes hands with President Joe Biden
Sec. Xavier Becerra’s department has a stated goal to ‘protect and strengthen equitable access to high quality and affordable health care’
Democrats have warned that the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) will hurt military recruitment because it limits access to abortion for troops, restricts transgender care service and bans consideration of diversity issues.
Republicans included several amendments on social issues as part of their effort to purge what they see as ‘woke’ policies from the armed services.
That included an amendment from Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, to prohibit the Pentagon from helping to pay for travel for abortion services.
In the Senate, Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville has prevented over 200 military promotions from moving forward as a means of protest over the Pentagon’s abortion policy.
