Abbott Sues Feds Over Women's Health Program
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott is filing yet another lawsuit against the federal government, this one, no surprise, over the Women's Health Program.
Federal health officials announced Thursday what state leaders had predicted for weeks: that they are halting funding for the program — which provides contraception, well woman exams and cancer screenings for more than 100,000 women every year — over Texas' decision to ban Planned Parenthood clinics from participating.
Texas' Republican leaders make a states' rights argument, saying they've got every right to pass rules that ban Planned Parenthood; the Obama administration says the move violates federal ...
Comments (45)
Matt Russell via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Tis' the truth!
Mike Openshaw via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Over their denial based on the demand to fund a specific ENTITY for the implementation of women's health. Sorry, but planned Parenthood is NOT the only game in town (but IS the biggest provider of abortions- by a LONG way.)
Justin Kugler via Texas Tribune on Facebook
You take federal money, you take their rules. Is he going to sue over federal highway standards now... or is this really just another line of attack against abortion?
Carolyn Qualls via Texas Tribune on Facebook
get Perry out of texas now!
Lee Dunkelberg via Texas Tribune on Facebook
What a pandering, lying little skunk our state attorney general is.
Just another front of the GOP's War on Women
Tom Erickson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
How many lawsuits is this? I thought Perry, Dewy and Abbott passed tort reform to curb frivolous lawsuits.
A Lerma Stickelbault via Texas Tribune on Facebook
ugly skunk too.
Adam Silva via Texas Tribune on Facebook
That is absurd. The state is not entitled to money from the federal government. Also, none of this money goes to abortions.
Justin Kugler via Texas Tribune on Facebook
They can't make abortion illegal, Adam, so they're trying to put Planned Parenthood out of business by attacking its other lines of funding. They're hoping it will cause a domino effect with other providers.
Debbie Spencer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
No tax dollars are used to provide abortions. The rules for receiving federal monies for this program were clear. It is not up to the state to decide what doctor a person uses who is eligible for that program. Perry and the republicans thought they had finagled a way to put Planned Parenthood out of business, enrich their buddies, and still get to pocket the federal money. Nope. File all the suits you want and prepare to lose the next few elections.
Kurt Rheinboldt via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Another taxpayer funded lawsuit. I thought "conservatives" were supposed to oppose frivolous litigation.
cal morton
So, that makes this the 18th law suit Abbot/ Perry has filed against the federal government... the word frivolous naturally comes to mind... and in probably every case their stance is counter to the majority of Texans.
Bruce Davis via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The Governor used the word sovereign to describe Texas. This political game is nasty and will prove disastrous to so many unknown faces, unknown families which are not a part of the increasingly Talibanation of politics by angry white men.
Bill Eaves via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Yes stop these idiots
Sergio Hernandez De Santos via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Bill you are talking about the G0P? Right?
Emily McCann via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Thousands of women CHOOSE Planned Parenthood affiliates as their provider for not only gynecological and breast exams, but also for routine physicals. Essentially Rick Perry wants the state to tell them where they will now go. How is that right? It's not.
Mike Openshaw via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Emily,; not at all. It's a matter of what the state of Texas is willing to pay for. I go to the doctors I chose...because I PAY FOR IT. Planned Parenthood will NOT go belly up from this, but will be a less government subsidized operation.
Mike Openshaw via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Texas IS willing to pay for women's health: tat the vendors they prefer, excluding only one. It is the FED demanding the lack of choice, excluding ALL.
Ron Blancarte via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Mike - I have to ask, who is restricting choices here?
Medicaid law dictates that patients have the right to choose any medical provider to get services from, that includes Planned Parenthood.
Texas on the other hand is dictating that if you want to use the Women's Health Program, you can only go to state approved medical providers.
So I ask you again - WHO is the entity restricting choice here?
Karen Hawkins via Texas Tribune on Facebook
True Ron, and considering the federal government is funding 90% to Texas's 10%, I'd say federal law prevails. What we need is a direct line to the federal dollars that completely bypasses the states nonsense exclusions. "F" the Texan misogynists.
homas
Any woman (and any man who loves and respects women) who votes Republican needs to have their head examined!
Teathuglicans love the super rich and war......and hate women
Dale Spradling
All of you are going to hate me; but, but... where oh where in the Constitution does it say...
T D
@Mike Openshaw--"I go to the doctors I chose...because I PAY FOR IT."
It's doubtful that you or anyone reading this pays the full amount for any medical visit or procedure. We all subsidize each others' health care. If you're over 30, you've probably taken out more than you've put in.
bruce west
Wouldn't it just be easier, cheaper and more sensible for the GOP and Perry to admit they have been spending this money on this program for years and know that the money isn't being spent for abortions? Wouldn't it make sense to be honest and tell those who oppose the funding that this money was spent wisely with a close eye on where it was going? What is next? Will the GOP decide where we can and cannot take are cars for safety inspections? Will they decide that companies that deal with green energy will not be able to receive the same tax breaks as those in oil and gas? Why would they oppose Obamacare for mandating who your doctor is? What difference does it make whether the tyrant is a federally elected official or a state elected official? The bottom line is the state is deciding who can and cannot operate a business which provides legal services to the state and federal government. They are deciding who the patients can chose as a provider. They are also going to reducing the efficiency and wasting your dollars because the next provider will be more expensive.
Debbie Spencer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Mike, you are wrong. Look at the providers Perry wanted them to use.
Debbie Spencer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The Texas Republicans are not willing to pay for women's health care. No matter how you try to spon it, this was an attempt by the republicans to end abortion in this state. FAIL.
Debbie Spencer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
And I wonder what percentage of a penny of your hard earned tax dollars goes to help with this cost.
Debbie Spencer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The rules are quite clear on federal money and programs. Rick's just mad because he can't pass the money onto his buddies.
Shannon Greely via Texas Tribune on Facebook
where is the list of providers Perry wants them to use?
Debbie Spencer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I'll have to go back and research. The article I read a few days ago mentioned that the clinics he was wanting to steer women to didn't have certified counselors, they were run by "christian" organizations. So clearly, Rick wanted to enrich his friends by steering government funding their way.
Debbie Spencer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
It wouldn't surprise me if the jerk was trying to figure a way to get into the adoption trade.
Shannon Greely via Texas Tribune on Facebook
please? I would really like to read that article. I am sooooooooo sick of Pastor Perry and "I've got mine, try and get yours" Abbott
Shannon Greely via Texas Tribune on Facebook
there is nothing they could do that would surprise me
Debbie Spencer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Sent you one article and added you to two groups.
kris 8124
The state has an obligation to protect it's citizens and spend public funds wisely. Planned Parenthood is not a wise investment of public funds. There are more than 2500 OB-GYN's, physicians, family planning centers and community health organizations that are available to provide high quality healthcare women deserve. It's time to stop the BAIL OUT of Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry and to stand up for poor women who deserve high quality healthcare.
Susie Martinez-Dominguez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
SOB....yes, it's everybody else's fault but MINE! I think my 6 year old uses that kind of argument...can't wait for the baby boom...Texas is on a downward spiral
Susie Martinez-Dominguez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
FYI-FEDERAL MONEY DOES NOT GO TO ABORTIONS! Fulgency
Samdavis
Kris, PP is not a good investment why? Because you said so? This is the same kind of twisted logic used by Perry to claim Planned Parenthood is using public funds for abortion when the evidence clearly proves they don't.
This loss of funding along with a state cut during the last legislature will devastate low-cost clinics. While this may not be a problem for middle-aged white males who have insurance, it is a tragedy for families and single parents without. It's a tragedy the Governor and GOP legislature are willing to cause in order to force their own non-valid beliefs on others.
I have no respect for people like you and Mike Openshaw who have your heads stuck in the sand.
Bert Chadwick
Greg Abbott is Rick Perry's marionette.
Dale Curry
Again, the Tparty zealots will tell you it's all about abortion, and in their mind it is. Planned Parenthood is/was a major provider of health services to women, with many being medically underserved. Now in order to rally up their base of support, they have decided to attack both Planned Parenthood and Women's reproductive rights. It's all about politics people, and the reactionaries of the Tparty and republicans are desperate. Their one issue, the economy is improving much faster than is politically expedient as they try to decide who to nominate against POTUS. It does not matter that a dollar of the state and FEDERAL government does not go to abortions! It's all politics. So, over 100,000 women will now be left scrambling to find care just so the zealots can rally their misogynist base for a campaign that is DOOMED!!!!
Dale Curry
While some Tparty supporters might believe THEY PAY FOR IT, they do not pay for everything. For most of these zealots, much of the cost of their procedures and treatment is covered by their insurance which is paid for by their employer. But the underlying philosophy when they scream, "THEY PAY FOR IT", is that they are committed to stopping the program. They are opposed to medicaid, medicare, and social security. No, these zealots are committed to leaving the medically underserved just that: UNDERSERVED! So, if your poor, they could care less about your cancer screening, or health care. No, they are happy to spend TRILLIONS in borrowed money from the Chinese for tax cuts for the 1% and on wars they start but cannot end. Their vision of America is pre-Roosevelt, where the rich control much of the government, women have no choices, and the poor die and suffer.
Bea McGuire via Texas Tribune on Facebook
So THIS is Perrys' bright idea to fund the program? Sue the feds for the money he refused in the first place?? Abortion will never be illegal again, and he just needs to get over it! He and Abbott are acting like spoiled brats in a pissing contest.
Bonnie McGuire
When Perry said he'd find the money somewhere to fund this program without federal funds, I knew he was lying because there was just not enough in the state budget. There's not enough for our schools, but Perry and Abbott can use money for this and a bunch of other lawsuits??? Ridiculous! This governor needs to go! And all his cronies with him.
Karen Spivey-Cummings via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Debbie, is Perry wanting to use *Crisis Pregnancy Centers* that are unlicensed and unregulated but get state and federal tax dollars? Why haven't these centers been investigated?
Mars Bonfire
Don't worry... Perry will "find the money" (in our pockets) to pay for all these frivolous lawsuits, just like he will find a way to pay for the loss of the Fed money- in a state with a $27B shortfall (thanks to this republican prosperity)- by cutting more funding for education and the environment. Stupid is as stupid does.