Battle over Title X to Resume

Last year, the House of Representatives launched a vigorous assault on Planned Parenthood. As part of that attack, the House voted to eliminate all funding for Title X, the federal program that helps low-income women obtain access to family planning clinics providing contraceptive services and screenings for breast and cervical cancer. While the Senate rejected the House action, last year’s final budget agreement cut Title X funding by $5.5 million, to $293.9 million. The number of patients served by Title X continues to grow, but current funding is now about $24 million below the funding that was available two years ago. With the House and Senate Appropriations Committees expected to take action on the FY2013 Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations bills later this month, the battle is set to resume. At least one House Republican, Robert Dold, is valiantly trying to persuade his House colleagues to back off their campaign to abolish Title X. In his budget, President Obama has asked Congress to increase Title X funding to $296.8 million in FY2013, an increase of 1 percent.