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Manuela Tobias
By Manuela Tobias December 26, 2017
Back to Defund Planned Parenthood

Trump's attempts to defund Planned Parenthood met with roadblocks

As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump promised to defund Planned Parenthood. That has yet to happen.

Trump joined other Republicans in opposition to federal funding for the health services provider on the grounds that Planned Parenthood helps some patients obtain abortions.

"I would defund it because of the abortion factor, which they say is 3 percent," Trump said on Feb. 25, 2016. "I don't know what percentage it is. They say it's 3 percent. But I would defund it, because I'm pro-life. But millions of women are helped by Planned Parenthood."

Federal funding does not actually fund abortions. The Hyde Amendment excludes Planned Parenthood and others from using federal dollars to pay for most abortion services, except in instances of rape, incest or when a woman's life is in danger. Abortion opponents argue the government is tacitly supporting abortion by funding non-abortion services.

So how far has Trump come in keeping his promise?

First, it's important to note that Planned Parenthood is not a line item on the budget, so it can't simply be crossed out. Planned Parenthood gets most of its funding through Medicaid reimbursements for preventive care and some from Title X, a Health and Human Services grant program that funds comprehensive family planning services.

Trump's proposed 2018 budget, which he sent Congress in May, called for denying funding, whether through Medicaid or Title X, to any group that performs abortions, including Planned Parenthood, even if that money isn't going toward abortions. The House and Senate versions of the budget don't include that language.

But the best shot Trump had at getting rid of the Medicaid reimbursements was through failed health care reform.

The GOP health care bill would have effectively blocked Planned Parenthood from securing reimbursements from Medicaid for a year. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Ak., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, who alongside Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., killed the bill in the Senate, had cited Planned Parenthood funding as one of the conditions of their support for the bill.

The Health and Human Services Department has put all grants provided through Title X up for renewal in June 2018. Terms for grants, which have not yet been announced, are expected to set more stringent anti-abortion conditions for the funding. Heading the department is Teresa Manning, is a prominent anti-abortion activist.

The Trump administration is working to cut back access to abortion, but his vow to cut funding for Planned Parenthood has been met with roadblocks so far. For now, we rate this promise Stalled.

Our Sources

Presidency.UCSB.edu, Republican Candidates Debate in Houston, Texas, Feb. 25, 2016

Email interview with Steven Cheung, White House spokesman, Dec. 19, 2017

Phone interview with Erica Sackin, Planned Parenthood spokeswoman, Dec. 20, 2017

WhiteHouse.gov, A New Foundation for American Greatness FY 2018, May 23, 2017

WhiteHouse.gov, Fact sheet: The President's fiscal year 2018 budget overview

Congress.gov, Resolution 71, Oct. 19, 2017

The Hill, Abortion providers brace for new Trump funding fight, Nov. 24, 2017

Mother Jones, Trump Just Picked a Contraception Skeptic to Head Federal Family Planning Efforts, May 1, 2017

Politico, Fate of Planned Parenthood funding tied to Senate moderates, April 11, 2016

NPR, Here's What GOP Bill Would (And Wouldn't) Change For Women's Health Care, March 10, 2017

Washington Post, Congressional health care bill 'defunds' Planned Parenthood, May 4, 2017