Almost 100 House Democrats are urging Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to revive federal family planning grants amounting to tens of millions of dollars for over 12 organizations, which have been on hold for more than two months.
A letter sent to Kennedy on Friday, first reported by The Hill, highlights concerns from 95 lawmakers about the organization that froze Title X funding on March 31. This includes nine planned parent-child clinics that are still unclear about their grant status.
At that time, the clinic indicated it received a notification from the administration stating the grants were “temporarily withheld” due to a potential civil rights violation and an executive order from former President Trump restricting the promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), along with “open border subsidies for taxpayers.”
More than two months later, lawmakers pointed out that the grantee “remains without funding and has not received any updates from the administration about the investigation, the anticipated timeline, or the future of the funds.”
The Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to requests for comment right away.
“Congress has already allocated these funds, and the administration must ensure their distribution without unnecessary delays or hindrances. It is crucial not to disrupt essential care for millions who depend on Title X Services,” the lawmakers emphasized in their letter.
This initiative was spearheaded by Josh Gottimer (D-N.J.), Judy Chew (D-Calif.), Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas), and Sharise David (D-Kan.), and received signatures from 91 additional Democrats.
Title X is the sole federal program dedicated to providing affordable birth control and other sexual and reproductive healthcare to low-income Americans, operational since the 1970s.
The timing of the letter coincides with the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Griswold v. Connecticut decision, which established a constitutional right to privacy concerning birth control and reproductive choices.
“However, due to the administration’s actions, reproductive freedom is currently at risk,” one of the lawmakers stated.
The previous Trump administration had prohibited providers from receiving Title X funds if they mentioned abortion or made referrals for it. Clinics were also required to create separate facilities for abortion services, leading over 12 grantees, including numerous planned parenthood centers nationwide, to exit the program in protest.
The Biden administration reversed Trump’s Title X rule in 2021.
