Congress Preserves Family Planning Funding; Birth Control Opponents Revealed

July 23, 2007

By Meaghan Lamarre, Internet Communications Coordinator

Voting on an amendment to the Labor, Health, Human Services and Education Appropriations bill, members of the House of Representatives overwhelmingly defeated an attempt to deny family planning funding to Planned Parenthood. The vote, 231-189, fell largely along party lines. Had the amendment passed, it would have prevented Planned Parenthood health centers from receiving funding under Title X of the Public Health Services Act, which funds family planning programs.

The amendment's author, Republican Mike Pence of Indiana, cites his anti-abortion stance as the reason for the amendment: "My point in offering this amendment today is that millions of pro-life Americans should not be asked to fund the leading abortion provider in the United States." In fact, the use of Title X funds is strictly limited to family planning and related preventative health programs that do not include abortion.

While this vote is a clear victory for supporters of women's reproductive health care, it's also a stark reminder of just how conservative some members of Congress are when it comes to family planning. Fully 189 representatives -- that's 45% of all members of Congress -- voted for this amendment to defund Planned Parenthood and oppose funding for birth control and preventative family planning health care. Find out where your representative stands.