West Palm Beach, FL – Today, Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21) issued the following statement after the Department of Health and Human Services reversed a harmful Trump-era policy that cut off Title X funding from health care providers who offer abortion services or refer patients for abortion. This new rule re-instates critical funding for clinics like Planned Parenthood and the Presidential Women’s Center in West Palm Beach, which provide reproductive health services, cancer screenings, and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, for millions of low-income patients across America.

“Millions of Americans rely on Title X funded health care providers to access the resources they need to stay healthy, including family planning tools that would otherwise be out of reach for low-income patients. Yet, the Trump Administration cut off funding for nearly 1,000 of these clinics by not allowing grantees to provide abortions or abortion-related services, even with their own private funding,” said Rep. Frankel. “This new rule from the Biden-Harris Administration rights this terrible wrong and ensures that the needs of patients are once again prioritized over the personal beliefs of politicians looking to undermine their health care. Abortion care is a critical aspect of reproductive health care, and I’m grateful this Administration has taken this important step to ensure its accessible for all Americans.”

The Biden-Harris Administration’s new rule reinstates eligibility for Title X funds to be given to organizations, like Planned Parenthood, that provide abortions or abortion referrals, with non-federal funds. It also reverses the requirement that Title X grantees not share a physical space with an abortion provider and requires Title X clinics to use culturally and linguistically appropriate language, offer referrals for primary care providers, and offer prescriptions for a full range of contraceptive methods. It also discusses the goals of equity and racial and socioeconomic justice.

While the new rule takes a critical step to address the harm done to Title X under the previous administration, there is still work to do to ensure the needs of patients are always put first, especially when it comes to their reproductive health.

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