Mark Green introduces House bill to prevent HHS bullying of states that prohibit abortion

Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) introduced a House bill on Tuesday that would prevent the Health and Human Services Department from stripping Title X funding from states that prohibit abortion, which it is trying to do.

“The Biden administration has weaponized HHS to penalize states for standing for life,” Green said in an exclusive statement to Breitbart News. “This is a new low—even for this administration. My bill ensures states can stand for life without getting crucial Title X funding yanked in the process.”

Title X provides family planning services including contraception to low-income families. Former President Donald Trump ruled that Title X funds could not be used for abortion, but Biden reversed that rule when he took office.

The stripping of Title X funding from pro-life states is being done to try to coerce them into offering abortions even though state law in some places prohibits abortion, or referring people who want abortions to other states that allow it.

“Specifically, my legislation amends Title X of the Public Health Service Act to prohibit HHS from revoking funding for states that don’t make referrals for abortion,” he said.

The HHS is relying on a 2021 rule “which completely contradicts Title X’s prohibition on using its funding for abortion activities,” Green’s office said. The agency’s use of the rule also reportedly “negates the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson.”