Presupuesto del gobierno Biden debe comprometerse a expandir el acceso a la salud sexual y reproductiva

WASHINGTON, DC — Hoy, el gobierno Biden-Harris dio a conocer un resumen de sus prioridades fiscales previo a la publicación de su presupuesto FY22. Es imprescindible que la propuesta final del presupuesto de este gobierno incluya inversiones sólidas en la salud sexual y reproductiva – incluidas mejoras al acceso y a la calidad – dentro del marco de ataques, dentro y fuera del país, a la salud reproductiva y al tantas comunidades enfrentar retos durante varias crisis de salud pública.

Declaración de Jacqueline Ayers, vicepresidenta de relaciones gubernamentales y política pública, Planned Parenthood Federation of America:

“La propuesta hoy presentada por el gobierno Biden-Harris demuestra que van por el camino correcto, pero lo que más importa serán los detalles finales. Ya que el acceso a la salud sexual y reproductiva se encuentra bajo ataques constantes – y ataques que principalmente ocasionan daño a las comunidades Latinas y Negra y aquellos de bajo ingreso – necesitamos que este gobierno se comprometa a garantizar que toda persona pueda tomar decisiones sobre su propia salud sin importar dónde vive ni cuánto dinero gane. A pesar de que la propuesta incluye fondos a la medida ‘Title X’, se queda corta de cubrir la cantidad necesaria para proveer servicios como métodos anticonceptivos, pruebas de ITS y de detección de cáncer. De la mano de nuestras organizaciones hermanas de justicia reproductiva, nos mantendremos atentos a la publicación del presupuesto final para verificar si éste cumple con las promesas del presidente en torno al revocar la enmienda Hyde, invertir en programas educativos, tanto domésticos como globales, sobre la salud reproductiva, y expandir el acceso a los cuidados de salud”.

Texto de la nota de prensa en inglés

Biden Budget Must Commit to Expanded Access to Sexual & Reproductive Health Care

Today’s discretionary request is a positive start, but additional investments in health care are needed, and full budget must detail support for sexual and reproductive health care programs 

WASHINGTON — Today, the Biden-Harris administration released its FY22 discretionary request— a top-level overview of its federal priorities ahead of the late-spring release of the full budget. Attacks on sexual and reproductive health at home and abroad, and continued challenges communities face due to multiple public health crises, make it imperative that the administration’s final budget proposal demonstrate a commitment to robust investments in sexual and reproductive health —  improving  access and quality. President Biden’s final proposal must also uphold his promise to address inequities in health care, caused by systemic racism and injustice that disproportionately harm communities of color — including the repeal of the racist, discriminatory Hyde Amendment. 

Statement from Jacqueline Ayers, vice president of government relations and public policy, Planned Parenthood Federation of America: 

“Today’s initial budget release from the Biden-Harris administration shows they are on the right track, but the final details will matter. With access to sexual and reproductive health care under constant attack — attacks that mostly harm Black and Brown people and people with low incomes — we need the  administration to commit to bold policies and big investments to ensure everyone has the ability to make their own health care decisions, no matter where they live or how much money they make. While the proposal increases Title X funding, it still falls short of the amounts needed to provide health care such as birth control, STI testing, and cancer screenings. Along with our Reproductive Justice partners, we’ll be keeping a close eye on the final budget to ensure it upholds the president’s promises to end the racist Hyde Amendment, includes additional investments in domestic and global sexual and reproductive health and education programs, and expands health care access at home and abroad.”

Today’s budget outline, while sticking to topline priorities, demonstrates that the Biden-Harris administration believes in robust public health investments that promote racial equity. But these investments must extend to sexual and reproductive health care, especially during a global pandemic. This includes additional funding for the Title X program, the nation’s only federal program dedicated to providing affordable sexual and reproductive health care like birth control, STI testing, and cancer screenings. While today’s request includes increased funding  for the program, it’s not nearly sufficient to provide the delivery of sexual and reproductive health care that meets the needs of all people. 

A new study shows that public health spending has remained stagnant over the past decade leading into the COVID-19 pandemic — meaning strong investments are critical to  improving long-term stability and responding to future crises. This proposal does include positive investments in health equity, including the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, additional funding to address the maternal mortality crisis and its devastating impact in communities of color, and large investments in the CDC to address the COVID-19 and future pandemics. As the administration continues to build out its full proposal with more specific details, Planned Parenthood will be looking to see that the final budget:

• Strikes the Hyde Amendment and related discriminatory restrictions, including the Weldon Amendment in the Labor-HHS budget bill, to ensure that everyone has abortion coverage, regardless of their income or source of insurance; 

• Restores full navigator funding and other consumer assistance funding to fully invest in the ACA open-enrollment process;

• Fully funds the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program (TPPP), the Division of Adolescent Health (DASH) and heavily invests in the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP), while ensuring grant funding prioritizes and adequately resources science-based, community-driven, inclusive, and age-appropriate sex education; the budget should also eliminate all funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, including the Sexual Risk Avoidance program. 

• Provides robust funding increases for international family planning and reproductive health programs, including the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), to meet the United States’ fair share in addressing unmet need for contraception in low and middle income countries, and improving global reproductive health;

• Strikes the Helms Amendment and changes other policies that undermine access to comprehensive reproductive health care globally: The Helms Amendment is a neocolonialist policy which prohibits the use of U.S. foreign assistance funds for “the performance of abortion as a method of family planning.” This provision hurts millions of people around the world who access health care through organizations that receive U.S. foreign assistance. U.S. foreign assistance should expand access to quality, comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care services for all people —   including safe, legal, and accessible abortion. 

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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 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.