Nearly 40 Organizations Supporting Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice Release Joint Statement to House Leadership: Your LHHS Bill is a Non-Starter

WASHINGTON, DC – Just days ahead of a possible government shutdown, the anti-abortion House majority plans to vote on the fiscal year (FY’24) Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. This bill slashes funding to health programs and includes a host of poison pill riders attacking access to sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion. These cuts are deeply unpopular as the majority of Americans support protecting access to sexual and reproductive health care.

The organizations supporting reproductive health, rights, and justice released the following statement:

“House Majority leadership has shown us yet again that they would rather force through their dangerous agenda than govern. The people support protecting access to sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion. And yet, the House majority insists on bringing this extreme bill to the floor for a vote just days ahead of a possible government shutdown, knowing full well that it has no pathway to passage in the Senate. This should be a non-starter. If they truly care about funding the government, they’d stop using this crucial appropriations process to attack sexual and reproductive health care." 

In the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies bill, anti-abortion rights House members included measures designed to: 

• Eliminate funding for the Title X family planning program;
• “Defund” Planned Parenthood by blocking people that rely on public health programs from accessing critical preventive services at Planned Parenthood health centers;
• Eliminate funding for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, while funding abstinence-only programs;
• Restrict access to gender affirming care;
• Prohibit Medicaid from covering abortion through the discriminatory Hyde Amendment, and attempt to expand the harmful Weldon Amendment;
• Interfere with postgraduate training in abortion care, an essential component of medical education necessary to ensure the health and well-being of pregnant people;
• Stop implementation of Biden administration executive orders intended to increase access to abortion care for people impacted by state bans post-Dobbs decision;
• Restrict potentially lifesaving medical research; and
• Prohibit the implementation of the Biden administration’s executive order to prevent and combat discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.

This joint statement was signed by:

ACLU

Advocates for Youth

AIDS United

All* Above All

American Federation of Teachers

American Humanist Association

American Society for Reproductive Medicine

Center for Reproductive Rights

Endangered Species Coalition

Guttmacher Institute

Healthy Teen Network

Impact Fund

Indivisible

Ipas

Modern Military Association of America (MMAA)

National Abortion Federation

National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association

National Health Law Program

National Organization for Women

National Partnership for Women & Families

National Women's Health Network

National Women's Law Center

PAI

Physicians for Reproductive Health 

Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Population Connection Action Fund

Positive Women's Network-USA

Power to Decide

Reframe Health and Justice

Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice

Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America) 

RH Impact

SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change

The AIDS Institute

Union for Reform Judaism

Women of Reform Judaism

Women's Refugee Commission 

YWCA US

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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health care, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With more than 600 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.