Bill Summary
This legislation, titled the "Protect Funding for Women's Health Care Act", aims to prohibit the use of federal funds for Planned Parenthood. It states that other entities already provide health services for women, including diagnostic, prenatal and postpartum care, and family planning. The act also clarifies that this will not affect any existing laws regarding abortion or reduce overall federal funding for women's health. Essentially, this bill seeks to prevent federal funds from being used specifically by Planned Parenthood, with the belief that other organizations can provide these services.
Possible Impacts
1. Women who rely on Planned Parenthood for their healthcare needs may have to seek services from other providers, potentially causing disruptions in their healthcare and access to certain services.
2. Low-income or uninsured women who cannot afford to pay for services from other providers may be unable to receive essential healthcare services, such as birth control, cancer screenings, and prenatal care.
3. Planned Parenthood clinics may have to reduce their services or even shut down, leading to job loss for employees and limited access to healthcare for individuals in certain areas.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 141 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 141
To prohibit Federal funding of Planned Parenthood Federation of
America.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 16, 2019
Mrs. Ernst (for herself, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Blunt, Mr. Risch, Mr.
Cotton, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Rounds, Mr. Crapo, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Sasse,
Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Rubio, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Moran, Mr. Kennedy, Mr.
Thune, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Hawley, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Romney, Mr.
Graham, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Daines, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Cruz, Mr.
Paul, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Barrasso, and Mr. Scott of South
Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To prohibit Federal funding of Planned Parenthood Federation of
America.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Protect Funding for Women's Health
Care Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds as follows:
(1) State and county health departments, community health
centers, hospitals, physicians offices, and other entities
currently provide, and will continue to provide, health
services to women. Such health services include relevant
diagnostic laboratory and radiology services, well-child care,
prenatal and postpartum care, immunization, family planning
services including contraception, sexually transmitted disease
testing, cervical and breast cancer screenings, and referrals.
(2) Many such entities provide services to all persons,
regardless of the person's ability to pay, and provide services
in medically underserved areas and to medically underserved
populations.
(3) All funds no longer available to Planned Parenthood
will continue to be made available to other eligible entities
to provide women's health care services.
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION.
(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no
Federal funds may be made available to Planned Parenthood Federation of
America, or to any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, successors, or
clinics.
(b) Rules of Construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed
to--
(1) affect any limitation contained in an appropriations
Act relating to abortion; or
(2) reduce overall Federal funding available in support of
women's health.
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