Call To Action
Stop Federal Funding to clinics that perform abortions
For Catholics, public virtue is as important as private virtue in building up the common good. In the Catholic tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue; participation in the political process is a moral obligation. --Faithful Citizenship, USCCB
Ask President Bush to Cut Federal Funds to Abortion Clinics
A dozen moderate House Republicans - one a Catholic - sent a letter to President Bush earlier this week calling on him to keep current Title X regulations intact.
The Hill reported in early May that leading conservative advocacy groups had sent President Bush a letter to reinstitute Reagan-era regulations that would strip federal funding for groups counseling patients on abortion. President Reagan implemented the regulations more than 20 years ago, which the Supreme Court upheld in 1991. Former President Bill Clinton rescinded them shortly after taking office.
Pro-life groups are petitioning President Bush to issue new regulations that would prohibit Title X family planning program funding to clinics that counsel women about abortion or offer referrals for abortion. The petition asking for these policy changes is said to be signed by thousands of voters and endorsed by more than 70 conservative organizations. (Simon, Wall Street Journal, 5/23).
The federal government distributes $280 million a year to subsidize birth control and other reproductive and preventive health care for low-income patients. While this money can’t be used to pay for abortions, it is distributed to clinics like Planned Parenthood - the nation's largest abortion provider. About one-third of Title X patients receive their care at Planned Parenthood. Pro-life advocates believe this funding indirectly subsidizes Planned Parenthood's abortion services.
Moderate House Republicans Respond
In response to this push from conservative advocacy groups, 12 House Republicans also sent a letter to the President asking him to keep Titlt X funding intact.The Family Research Council referred to the 12 as the "Dirty Dozen." These representatives could hardly be called pro-life advocates. With the exception of Congressman David Hobson (Ohio) who earned an 85% voting record for supporting pro-life bills from the National Right to Life(NRTL), the remaining representatives show support for a majority of anti-life bills.
Representative Mike Castle (R-DE) is the only Catholic in the group.
| GOP Representative | State | NRTL Score |
| Mark Kirk | ILL | 0% |
| Christopher Shays | Conn | 14% |
| Kay Granger | Texas | 42% |
| Jim Ramstad | Minn | 0% |
| Charlie Dent | Penn | 14% |
| Rodney Frelinghuysen | NJ | 28% |
| Ralph Regula | Ohio | 57% |
| David Hobson | Ohio | 85% |
| Judy Biggert | Illinois | 14% |
| Mike Castle | Delaware | 0% |
| Wayne Gilchrest | Maryland | 16% |
| Deborah Pryce | Ohio | 28% |
Pro-life Congressman Mike Pence (R-Ind.), an opponent of the Title X program, said, "I am hopeful that President Bush will follow both President Reagan and his father's presidency and ensure the non-abortion funding that flows to family planning through Title X does not indirectly support abortion referral or abortion services." Advocates who follow the issue speculate that Bush could make a decision as early as next week given White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolton's directive to federal agencies to propose new regulations by June 1 (The Hill, 5/22).
If President Bush does reinstate the "gag rule" both Sen. Obama (D-Ill.) and Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) would overturn any change immediately if either became president.
Ask President Bush to prohibit Title X funding from going to clinics that perform abortions.