house resolution no.57

Reps. Hope, Hammoud, Hood, Manoogian, Lasinski, Sowerby, Kennedy, Brixie and Garza offered the following resolution:

A resolution to urge the President and the United States Department of Health and Human Services to repeal the new rule changing funding eligibility for the Title X family planning program.

Whereas, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a new rule rendering organizations ineligible for Title X funding if they provide or refer patients for abortions, effective May 3, 2019. First enacted in 1970, Title X of the Public Health Service Act is the only federal grant program solely dedicated to funding family planning and preventive health services for low-income patients; and

Whereas, The new rule threatens access to fundamental medical services for the 4 million low-income patients who rely on Title X-funded organizations for their health care. The rule creates barriers to the numerous health care services provided by these organizations, including services that are completely unrelated to abortion, such as screenings for breast and cervical cancer and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections; and

Whereas, Michigan receives approximately $7.4 million per year in Title X funding; and

Whereas, 62,700 Michigan residents received Title X services through local health departments or Planned Parenthood; and

Whereas, The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), which oversees the Title X funds in the state, stated that the new rule presents "challenges for all the providers in our network"; and

Whereas, Nineteen leading medical and health care organizations representing more than 4.3 million health care providers, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and American College of Physicians, opposed the rule change in a joint letter citing its disregard for evidence-based medicine and the expertise of the scientific and medical community; and

Whereas, The rule will cause irreversible harm to the provider-patient relationship by requiring providers to omit critical health care information thus undermining patient confidence in their care; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge the President and the United States Department of Health and Human Services to repeal the new rule changing funding eligibility for the Title X family planning program; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States and the Secretary of Health and Human Services.