Posted on 01/21/2006 4:46:02 AM PST by Theodore R.
New Planned Parenthood Head Faces Home State Clinic Cuts By Randy Hall CNSNews.com Staff Writer/Editor January 20, 2006
(CNSNews.com) -- The Planned Parenthood Federation of America is marking the 33rd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision on Jan. 22 with a new president. However, even as Cecile Richards takes the reins of the nation's most frequent provider of abortions, the organization may be forced to curtail services and even shut down clinics in an ironic location: her home state of Texas.
The likely cutbacks are the result of amendments to the two-year budget passed in 2005 by the Texas Legislature that shift $13 million in federal funds disbursed by the state from "individuals and entities that perform elective abortion procedures" to Federally Qualified Health Centers. The latter are described in the budget as offering "comprehensive primary and preventive care" in addition to family planning services.
The process of reallocating Planned Parenthood funding actually began in June 2003, when Republican state senators Steve Ogden and Tommy Williams sponsored a budget amendment that denied money to any family planning organization that provides abortions.
Planned Parenthood quickly filed a lawsuit to maintain its funding, and in August of that year, the federal district court in Austin granted a preliminary injunction preventing the amendment from taking effect.
In March of 2005, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the original measure as constitutional, but the decision permitted clinics that provide abortions to create independent "affiliates" that would continue receiving money to provide other services.
That prompted state Sen. Robert Deuell to sponsor Rider 31, an attachment to the 2006-2007 budget that states:
"It is the intent of the Legislature that no state funds shall be used to pay the direct or indirect costs (including overhead, rent, phones and utilities) of abortion procedures provided by contractors of the department.
"It is also the intent of the Legislature that no funds appropriated under Strategy B.1.3, Family Planning Services, shall be distributed to individuals or entities that perform elective abortion procedures or that contract with or provide funds to individuals or entities for the performance of elective abortion procedures."
After both the amendment and the state budget were approved, Planned Parenthood of the Texas Capital Region stated on its website that, "the leadership of the Texas Legislature has once again let down the working families of our state.
"In an irrational and unprecedented move, our extremist leadership has carelessly diverted critical health care funding that is relied upon by thousands of Texas women," the statement added.
Jim Sedlak, executive director of American Life League's STOPP International, told Cybercast News Service that newspapers across Texas have been "moaning" about the impact the $13 million loss will have on Planned Parenthood affiliates in the state, which presently operate 78 clinics.
"If these news accounts are to be believed, we may be seeing the closure of a large number of these clinics in Texas during 2006," Sedlak said.
"Other states have successfully removed Planned Parenthood funding in slightly different ways with great success," he said. "Now, Texas joins Colorado, Missouri, Ohio, North Dakota and Mississippi as states that provide no tax funding to Planned Parenthood."
Gosh, who'da thunkit! (Unconstitutional) Federal "health care" disbursements going to facilities that give vaccinations and take care of sick people? Can't have that!
Yes, Cecile is Ann's daughter. Ann taught school only for one year before getting into liberal politics in the late 1950s.
NEW YORK (AP) - Cecile Richards, a veteran political activist and daughter of former Texas Gov. Ann Richards, was named Monday as the new president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, taking over at a crucial time for America's abortion-rights movement. Richards, 48, has served as deputy chief of staff to Nancy Pelosi, the Democrats' minority leader in the House of Representatives, and founded the Texas Freedom Network to counter the influence of conservative groups in her home state.
Planned Parenthood is neither.
Good for Texas, and Colorado, Missouri, Ohio, North Dakota and Mississippi as well.
My son's best friend from H.S comes from an ultra-liberal family. Nice people,especially the Dad,but politics has to be off the table when talking to them. Turns out the Dad's younger brother is a big union leader and HUSBAND OF Cecile Richards.
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