Planned Parenthood on FY17 Budget: Good Step Forward; More Work to Be Done

For Immediate Release: Feb. 10, 2016

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Washington. DC --Planned Parenthood Federation of American released the following statement on the President Obama's FY 17 budget released today.

Statement from Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America:

“This budget is a good step forward and more work needs to be done.  We are grateful the president understands the value of critical reproductive health programs like Title X and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program and Personal Responsibility Education Program, and allowing the District of Columbia to control local funds for women to receive safe, legal abortion.

“We are also pleased to see the continuation of investments in education programs that would empower young people with information on birth control, HIV, and other STDs, and the elimination of ineffective abstinence only programs. And as a provider of preventive health care to millions of low-income women every year, Planned Parenthood also applauds the president’s billion-dollar commitment to cancer research to eliminate this devastating disease once and for all.

“The Zika outbreak and its harmful effects on women and children also serve as a stark reminder of the global need for sexual and reproductive health care — including access to contraception, safe abortion, and maternal health care. We are pleased  the administration protects investments in family planning and reproductive health, including restoring the funding cut from UNFPA in last year’s budget, as a way to save millions of women and newborn lives.  

"Yet given the administration’s goal of tackling poverty in this budget, much more could have been proposed to meet the health care needs of women, men and young people across the country, including a more aggressive investment in the Title X family planning program. We also remain disappointed that the budget would continue other unnecessary restrictions on abortion in the form of the Hyde amendment.

“As we continue to see attacks on the state level to restrict access to reproductive health providers through restrictions on federal funds, national investments in family planning, cancer screenings, STD testing and sex education are more important now than ever to keep our families and communities healthy and safe.”

You can read a fact sheet with more information on the gains — including economic and professional advances — made for women and families thanks to investments in family planning here.
 

More from the president’s budget:

Proposal to Increase Title X Family Planning Funding by $13.5 Million:

• The president proposes to increase funding for the Title X Family Planning Program from $286.5 million to $300 million — identical to the increase proposed in the President’s FY16 budget request.
• Since 2010, Title X has suffered serious cuts and even the requested increase would not  completely restore the program.
• For every public dollar invested in family planning, approximately $7.09 is saved in Medicaid-related costs — saving federal and state governments money.  

Commitment to Increase Resource for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program and Personal Responsibility Education Program, and Eliminate Harmful and Ineffective Programs:

• The president proposes to increase funding for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program (TPPP) from $101 million to $104.8 million — which is the same increase in funds proposed in the FY 16 budget. TPPP funds programs that reduce unintended teen pregnancy.
• The president proposes to reauthorize the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) for an additional five years. PREP funds evidence-based programs that educate youth on both abstinence and contraception to prevent unintended pregnancies and STIs and other adulthood preparation topics such as healthy relationships and financial literacy.  
• The president proposes eliminating funding for the Title V “Abstinence Education” state grant program and Abstinence-only-until-marriage grants, amounting to an $85 million cut in funds for programs that have been found to be harmful and ineffective.

Exclusion of DC Abortion Ban; Existing Abortion Riders Remain:

• The president’s budget excludes the DC abortion ban, a policy rider restricting the District of Columbia from deciding whether to use locally-raised revenue to help low-income women access safe abortion care.

Sustained Support for International Family Planning and Reproductive Health Programs:

• The president’s budget proposes $544 million for international family planning and reproductive health programs out of USAID’s Global Health Programs Account, which is a $6 million increase to that account from the President’s FY2016 request. Family planning and reproductive health programs provide key interventions which improve the health of women and families worldwide.
• The budget also maintains a request of $35 million for UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) and eliminates unnecessary restrictions on the U.S. contribution to UNFPA. UNFPA works in over 150 countries to provide critical family planning, reproductive health, and maternal health services to women, men, and young people.  This restores the $2.5 million cut in the FY16 omnibus legislation.

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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With over 650 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.