Clarksville Times

WASHINGTON—Rep. Mark Green, an ER physician, will introduce the States Choose Life Act of 2023. This legislation will protect states from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) weaponization of Title X funding against states that choose to protect the right to life. 

Rep. Green said, “My bill will protect Tennessee from being bullied by the federal government into propping up the abortion industry. 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. 

“As we celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson decision, it's important to remember that the fight for life is just beginning. Though the tyranny of Roe is over, it is now up to states to protect unborn babies. And states should be allowed to do so without suffering repercussions, financial or otherwise, from the federal government. No medical professional should be forced against his or her conscience to refer patients for abortions. As it stands today, Secretary Becerra is using Title X funding as a cudgel to force states to participate in abortions or risk losing funding. This is abhorrent.” 

Background: In March, HHS informed the State of Tennessee that it will no longer provide longstanding Title X funding, which has supported low-income Tennessean families for decades. To justify this malicious decision, HHS relied on a 2021 rule, which completely contradicts Title X’s prohibition on using its funding for abortion activities. The use of this rule also negates the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v Jackson. Rep. Green sent a letter to Secretary Becerra demanding answers on June 20th. 

Read the bill text here.

Original source can be found here.