{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/2026/4/women/blackburn-leads-colleagues-in-introducing-legislation-to-close-loopholes-allowing-taxpayer-funded-abortion", "Blackburn Leads Colleagues in Introducing Legislation to Close Loopholes Allowing Taxpayer-Funded Abortion", "2026-04-16", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "Senate", "TN", "Marsha Blackburn", "B001243", "www.blackburn.senate.gov", "blackburn", "https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/news/cc8c80c1-d564-4bbb-93a4-f1d772346ae0", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Bill Cassidy (R-La.), and 17 of their Senate colleagues introduced the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act to ban federal Title X family-planning grants from going to any entity (like Planned Parenthood) that performs abortions or funds abortion providers:\n\n\u201cTaxpayers should not have to spend a penny on abortions,\u201d said Senator Blackburn. \u201cThe Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act would protect life and stop federal funds from going to entities that perform abortions by closing loopholes in federal law.\u201d\n\n\u201cLouisiana families want their tax dollars to support families, not abortion businesses that kill unborn babies and hurt mothers,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cI\u2019m proud to co-lead this bill to end a policy that subsidizes Planned Parenthood on the taxpayers\u2019 dime.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND\n\nThe Title X Family Planning Program is intended to assist low-income women with family planning services. Unfortunately, this program has a history of subsidizing massive organizations that engage in abortion activities such as Planned Parenthood. Since 1976, federal law has prohibited use of federal funds for abortions.\n\nSection 1008 of the Public Health Service Act explicitly states that Title X funds \u201cshall not be used in programs where abortion is a method of family planning,\u201d but Clinton-era rules require all grantees to refer patients for abortions and allow abortion facilities to be co-located within Title X clinics.\n\nAs a result, Planned Parenthood clinics that receive federal family planning funds can share the same facility, staff, and waiting room as abortion clinics, and often refer women for on-site abortions.\n\nThis legislation is co-sponsored by Senators James Lankford (R-Okla.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Josh Hawley(R-Mo.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), and Kevin Cramer (N.D.).\n\nTITLE X ABORTION PROVIDER PROHIBITION ACT\n\nThe Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act would:\n\nAmend the Public Health Service Act to prohibit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from providing federal family-planning grants to entities that perform abortions, or provide funds to entities that perform abortions;\n\nStrip the abortion giant Planned Parenthood and other Title X clinics of taxpayer funding that ought to go to comprehensive healthcare alternatives instead;\n\nRequire that HHS provide an annual report to Congress that includes: information on grantees who perform abortions under the exceptions; and a list of entities to which grant funds are made available.\n\nClick here for bill text.\n\nENDORSEMENTS\n\nThis legislation is supported by Susan B Anthony Pro-Life America, Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee, March for Life Action, National Right to Life Committee, Americans United for Life, and the Students for Life Action.\n\n\u201cAbortion providers such as Planned Parenthood should not receive a single dime of taxpayer dollars, especially when those funds are meant to provide family planning services to women in need. Abortion is the exact opposite of that mission. Title X funds should be reserved for entities that truly help American families, rather than those that prey upon vulnerable women and their unborn babies. We are grateful to Sen. Blackburn for introducing legislation that would prohibit this evil, predatory industry from receiving federal grants they do not deserve,\u201d said Penny Nance, President and CEO of Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee.\n\n\u201cTaxpayer dollars should never be used to subsidize the abortion industry. Senator Blackburn\u2019s Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act restores a clear and commonsense boundary by ensuring that family planning funds are directed to providers that offer genuine, life-affirming care. For too long, abortion providers have received federal support while continuing to profit from abortion. National Right to Life is proud to support Senator Blackburn\u2019s leadership on this important measure,\u201d said Carol Tobias, President, National Right to Life.\n\n\u201cMarch for Life Action applauds Senator Blackburn\u2019s Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act. Abortion providers like Planned Parenthood should not receive a single cent of taxpayer funding, whether through the Title X program or otherwise,\u201d said the March for Life Action.\n\n\u201cTitle X has long served as a slush fund for the Big Abortion industry, led by Planned Parenthood. In 2024 alone, abortion businesses ended the lives of an estimated 1.1 million unborn babies. Thank you, Senator Blackburn, for championing this important legislation to permanently stop Title X dollars from going to these bad actors and protect American taxpayers from being forced to fund the abortion industry,\u201d said the Hon. Marilyn Musgrave, VP of Government Affairs, Susan B. Anthony Pro- Life America.", 1, "2026-04-18T05:35:53Z", "2026-04-18T05:37:16Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/2026/4/women/blackburn-leads-colleagues-in-introducing-legislation-to-close-loopholes-allowing-taxpayer-funded-abortion"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0110337752848864, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}