Guest Column: The Case for Family Planning Funding
This session we have seen an all out assault on women's health driven by the erroneous assumption that family planning is synonymous with abortion. This narrow construction ignores the comprehensive nature of family planning, which is central to women and children's health before, during and after pregnancy. Eliminating these services will have huge repercussions on the demand for (i.e., the cost of) state services, access to care and the number of unintended pregnancies.
Let’s be clear about what family planning actually means. According to the Department of State Health Services, the state’s family planning budget ...
Comments (11)
Luisa Newton via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Planned Parenthood is an organization that cares about women, unlike the Texas GOP
Mark Paulson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Perry/Palin 2012! "Can't Lead/Can't Read!"
Mark Paulson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Now I gotta make a new bumper sticker, my old one thats still on my pickup says Trump/Palin 2012 "You're Fired/I Quit!"
Sarah Slamen via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Great job, Rep. Howard. Too bad you're outnumbered because a lot of "good people" in out state don't vote at the local level.
Aldo Merino via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Spot on.
tom brown
As stated, the law prohibits the use of federal funds for abortion. Cutting off aid for family planning and health services is going to hurt women and the unborn than the regulation of abortion through the laws and court orders. In the ideological battle between womens' rights and right-to-lifers, the ones to suffer the most will be the unborn if health services are defunded. It is also unlikely that abortions will ever cease, even if outlawed and defunded.
Hannah Katz
This looks like an opportunity for self-described progressives to step up and support Planned Parenthood financially and with their time, like the self described pro life people do with the crisis pregnancy centers. The less the government does, the more opportunities arise for citizens to get involved in their issues of choice.
Automatic ISO
This appears to be another attempt to "put women in their place." Let's not forget that the Southern Baptist Convention passed rules that tell women, "submit to the authority of their husbands." And I believe this is an attempt to minimize women and take "control"of their lives. it is insidious and wrong and will have long lasting consequences to take away family planning services through Planned Parenthood and other agencies that do similar work.
Tucano Fulano
The article has convinced me State-subsidized "family planning services" are a total waste of taxpayer dollars and needs to be dismantled entirely.
Patricia Wood
Thank you, Rep. Howard for making sense of this important issue. It appears that the Republican leadership has adopted magical thinking here. They seem to think if they just cancel resources for family planning, this will automatically reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies--possibly even curtail sex altogether, and the problem will just magically disappear! Forget an appeal to compassion, one that counts on a sense of decency, towards young people and children---seems that anytime a Repub even hints at compassion, he/she is considered to be a coward and is quickly whipped back into shape by the extremist elements who are actually in charge now. But compassion aside, doesn't it strike you as strange that people who tout themselves as fiscal conservatives would now be found trying to destroy those very agencies that have, more than any others, SAVED thousands tax dollars by preventing unwanted pregnancies? Fiscal conservatives, if they were true to their values, should champion Planned Parenthood for the money they have saved taxpayers---is loading up local hospitals your solution? The disconnect here is just stunning.
David Spratt
The article states these services are available to women who are U.S. Citizens. Refreshing to see such a statement made. More should take note, and these U.S. women should make attempts to regain these funds. Where are they you might ask? Using the number in the article I calculate over all $1,040,000,000 was spent on 65,000 children born in the State of Texas last year to Illegal immigrants. 11,000 births at Parkland Hospital alone,,, $ 17,600,000. Largely paid for with taxpayer $. Remember the majority of these people have incomes in the $20,000 per year range. Well within poverty standards for ave family size of 3.9 persons. Not to mention the fact that these children will eventually go to public school ect and as " American Citizens" receive all services, rights and privileges equal to All U.S. Citizens. So when you do not get what you want or need point the finger in the right direction , and you might demand changes to the welfare given either directly or indirectly to Foreign Nationals who cannot possibly pay their share for the services they receive. Sources; Pew Hispanic, FAIR , Dallas Morning News