Today was a sad day for women’s healthcare in the U.S.
Title X provides basic healthcare service to those who are without healthcare and who are low-income, such as cancer screenings, routine health checks, pregnancy care, cervical care, testing and treatment for STIs, and contraceptive care.
Title X is the only federal grant program that funds family planning services and preventative healthcare, particularly for low-income or uninsured women and families.
It also provides services to medical clinics, such as Planned Parenthood, that perform abortions. However, under the Hyde Amendment of 1976, zero federal taxpayer dollars fund abortions — yet many House and Senate Republicans reason that Title X should be abolished because they are anti-abortion. Since its start, Title X has actually decreased the number of abortions performed in the U.S. because of its commitment to providing preventative healthcare.Before leaving office, President Obama restricted states from withholding federal funds from family planning providers for any reason to prevent states from defunding certain clinics entirely.
Today, the Senate tied 50-50 on a vote to eliminate Obama’s rule that protected Title X funding and women’s healthcare, and Vice President Pence broke the tie, siding with the Senate Republicans. Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska sided with the 48 Senate Democrats, but ultimately the state of affordable women’s healthcare was left to the anti-abortion VP. Overturning Obama’s protection enables states to completely defund certain healthcare clinics, regardless of whether they perform abortions or not. The only hope left to keep women’s healthcare in check lies in the hands of President Trump, who may veto the decision.