Jaime Ballew

Thank you all so much for your participation and work submitting comments to the Department of Health and Human Services regarding the administration’s proposed Title X rule. The comment period for this rule closed on Tuesday. Just a refresher, Title X is a voluntary grant program that was enacted in the 70s to provide low income individuals with family planning services. The statute specifically says that abortion is not family planning and no funds can go toward abortion operations, but that hasn’t stopped the abortion industry from grabbing these funds and using them to prop up their abortion business. This new rule would require Title X grant recipients to detangle their abortion operations from Title X activity, better adhering to the law.

Concerned Women for America supporters were responsible for submitting thousands of comments supporting this rule; thank you!  HHS received over 200,000 comments and upon some brief preliminary investigation of our own, it appears that the majority of these comments are supportive of the rule. This was not the result we were expecting, but it is reflective of where the American people stand on taxpayer funded abortions and abortion activities. Polls continually show that about 6 in 10 Americans oppose taxpayer dollars from being used toward abortions, and that includes people who identify as pro-choice. Americans want out of the abortion business, and this proposed rule is an important step to detangle the abortion industry from government funding.

From here, HHS will review the comments and then they submit a final rule based on feedback. This will take at least a few months and then these rules will apply to future Title X grants. We hope that when grants are announced in August 2019 this rule will be implemented, and this program will no longer be used as a slush fund for the abortion industry. We do anticipate several states will sue HHS over this rule, which could delay implementation, but this rule is supported by Supreme Court precedent. In 1991 the Supreme Court upheld similar, more stringent rules, proposed by the Reagan administration in Rust v. Sullivan, and there have been no significant cases since then that would impact the precedent set by Rust.

It is unfortunate the pro-choice side had to resort to blatant lies and fear mongering in their opposition to this rule. They know that life is winning in America, and public opinion on abortion is shifting. We are a pro-life nation, and the abortion industry’s free ride on the backs of taxpayers is coming to an end.

You may remember last week the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a new proposed rule governing the Title X program that has the potential to make an impact on the fight against Planned Parenthood’s government funding. Today is the first day of the 60-day comment period, and now we have a unique chance to act and voice our support.

The Title X program is a voluntary grant program that was created to educate and provide family planning services. Even though the law says that abortion is not family planning, abortion giants like Planned Parenthood have used this grant program as their own personal slush fund.

But not under the Trump Administration. HHS proposed a new rule governing Title X funds. This rule, also referred to as the Protect Life Rule, proposes regulations similar to the “Reagan rules” that were upheld by the Supreme Court in 1991 in Rust v. Sullivan. These new regulations require physical and financial separation between Title X recipients and abortion providers. Under these new regulations, abortion centers cannot serve as Title X family planning centers and recipients cannot refer for abortion. Additionally, grantees must comply with state/local abuse reporting requirements. This rule also repeals the Clinton-era regulations that require abortion counseling and instead makes this optional. This new regulation does not cut Title X dollars by a cent

This Protect Life Rule draws a bright line between abortion clinics and Title X dollars. By requiring physical and financial separation of Title X dollars, we can be sure that this taxpayer money is being used to help low-income women and not prop up abortion clinics.

After the comment period is closed, HHS will review the comments and issue a final ruling. This is why the comment period is so important: HHS’ final ruling is based off of what the public says. You know Planned Parenthood is out in full force; they even started accepting comments to submit before the comment period officially opened! We know that 60% of Americans want out of the abortion business and don’t want taxpayer dollars involved in abortions, so now it’s time for us to act.

For information on submitting a comment, a sample comment (you can use ours verbatim!), or more information on what exactly this rule will do if implemented, please visit ConcernedWomen.org/ProtectLifeRule.

On Friday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) filed new Title X grant requirements similar to rules established during the Reagan era and upheld by the Supreme Court. This new rule requires physical and financial separation between Title X recipients and abortion providers in order to draw a clear line against federal tax money going to support abortion.   It also prohibits referrals for abortion to further disentangle federal taxpayer money from the abortion industry.  

For years abortion providers have used the fungibility of Title X funds to their financial advantage. Title X funding can be used for a number of things like utilities, advertising, staff salaries, and medical supplies. Basically, these grants can free up other funds and provide infrastructure for clinics like Planned Parenthood to promote abortion.

Title X has been Planned Parenthood’s second largest government funding stream.  They operate as if they are entitled to federal tax dollars and use these grants as their personal slush fund.   Under these new regulations, Planned Parenthood will have to play by the new rules or get out of the game.

Unfortunately, Planned Parenthood wants you to believe abortion is just a small part of what they do. The reality is that over 90% of pregnant women who enter a Planned Parenthood clinic will receive an abortion.  It is not a “small part” of what they do, because if it were, these new rules would not make a big difference to their business model.  But we know otherwise.

This move by the Trump Administration is a promise kept. Almost 200 Members of Congress and 86 pro-life groups asked for these changes   Americans want out of the abortion business altogether.   Six in ten Americans oppose taxpayer funding for abortion.  Title X funds have been tangled in big abortion for far too long.

While there is still more to do, this is a big step in the right direction.  Everyone is frustrated with the Senate’s failure to pass a bill redirecting Planned Parenthood’s Medicaid funding, and we are still furious that the omnibus allowed abortion providers to receive funding. Now the federal agency who controls who is eligible for Title X funding has responded. We will continue to work with Congress and the Administration to find new avenues to make progress against taxpayer funding of abortion providers.

One of the most common questions I get from grassroots advocates, supporters or even other D.C. folk is, “What are we doing now about Planned Parenthood?” Although we have proven we can get Planned Parenthood’s Medicaid reimbursement funding redirected to better healthcare providers through a House vote, the Senate makeup is not changing right now, so we are tackling this from a different angle.

According to their most recent annual report, in 2016 Planned Parenthood received approximately $543.7 million from the government. This is a big pot of money that is divided in a lot of ways. The main ways Planned Parenthood receives funding is through Medicaid reimbursement for services performed and through Title X (family planning) dollars and through other various government (state and federal) grants. The healthcare reconciliation bill that failed by one vote in the Senate last year tackled the largest portion: their Medicaid reimbursement, but we are not giving up because that bill failed.

The Title X Family Planning Program was authorized in 1970 and is intended to assist in “voluntary family planning projects,” offering “a broad range of acceptable and effective family planning methods and services,” and may not fund “programs where abortion is a method of family planning.” The statute gives the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the ability to determine qualifications for this money. These qualifications are mostly outdated and although the statute firmly differentiates between abortion and family planning, Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, is a large recipient of these funds. Obama regulations required all grantees to refer for abortion. This obviously deters many from applying for funds who do not believe abortion is a method of family planning.

Members of the House know this issue well and are currently circulating a letter to the Secretary of HHS to update these regulations. HHS recently issued new Title X regulations lifting the abortion referral mandate, but members of Congress are now asking for these funds to be fully separated from abortion clinics. As it stands, several Title X locations are also abortion clinics, but members are calling to renew similar Reagan Administration regulations (that the Supreme Court upheld) that require Title X service sites to be physically and financially separate from abortion facilities.

This is just one of the ways you won’t hear about on the news that we are working to cut off the government funding stream to Planned Parenthood. Their free ride on the backs of taxpayers is not forgotten in D.C. and is coming to an end.

Editor’s Note: If you’ve ever wondered what a woman can go through with a “safe, legal, and rare” abortion, read on. And if you’re one of those women who has experienced one and is silently struggling with your decision, definitely read on. There is hope … and healing.

Hello, my name is Cathy.

Most people do not know that abortion is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in the United States. At least 1.2 million pregnancies ending in abortions are reported each year. Contrary to common perception, abortion is not rare and most likely has affected many people whom we know. By the age of 20, one in seven women has undergone at least one abortion. By the age of 45, one in three women has had at least one abortion.

I am one of those. After 40 years of silent grieving and shame, I am here to share, out loud, how my choice affected my life. I was 17, one year after Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in 1973, when, at the advice of those I loved and trusted (including the minister of the church I grew up in), I was told that abortion was the right thing to do.

So, I left my family and friends and moved to Arizona in August of 1974. My aunt, who happened to work for Planned Parenthood, took me to San Diego that weekend where I terminated the life of my child. I have no memory of the procedure, but waking up in recovery amongst a room full of girls and women in physical pain and mental anguish is a memory I will never forget.

My aunt took me school-clothes shopping right after I was released, and the task of covering up the aftershock continued for the next 39 years. I knew when I stepped out of that clinic that I had done something terribly wrong.

I married not long after that and started an exciting life as a Navy wife. Then, in 1976, I came to know Jesus as my Savior and began a life in Him. Together, Ron and I have two beautiful daughters.

The military moved us to many duty stations across the country and one tour overseas. Our life was normal, filled with church, sports, and school activities. Occasionally, the abortion would come to mind, and the memories would visit me in my dreams. I’d gotten good at covering up my pain … and my walk as a Christian became my best mask.

Once our girls were grown and leading lives of their own, the covering and denial continued to the point where I began to deal with deep bouts of depression. I had a wonderful husband, wonderful girls, and a fulfilled life. Why was I so miserable?

I began to self medicate with alcohol to escape this self doubt and hate. Then I ended up phasing myself out of a church that I loved and served in for 14 years and walked in my flesh for the next 10 years. Praise God; He never gave up on me … and neither did my praying friends.

In 2004, we moved to our present location. I struggled with depression and loneliness and continued with the closet drinking for many years. I hid my pain from my family and my friends. I didn’t know how to talk about it; I didn’t know that it stemmed from that day I walked into an abortion clinic and walked out in physical and mental pain, but no longer pregnant.

In September 2013, I reconnected with ladies from my old church and went to a ladies’ retreat with them. I went grudgingly, but I sensed the Lord for the first time in years. I recalled His love for me — His patience, His kindness, and that HE saved me— but my self destruction continued.

On December 24, 2013, the Lord got my attention loud and clear. It was a day after my last alcohol binge. Two ladies whom I had spent time with at camp called me on the same day to check on my father who was hospitalized at the time, and I ended up telling them everything. They prayed the most powerful prayers, and I knew God was talking to me and wooing me home.

I re-dedicated my life to the Lord that day.

God led me to First Baptist that following Sunday. I had driven by the church on my way to work for nine years and saw the Pregnancy Center sign every day. It was the first time that I had walked into a church in years and not felt like I should not be there.

While the pastor was sharing announcements, I opened the bulletin. There was a flyer about the pregnancy center, and it said, “If you know anyone considering abortion, or suffering from a past abortion, contact the pastor.”

“Could this be it?” I asked myself. “Could this be what is wrong with me?” All that was left was to get up the courage to contact the pastor.

And that I did.

I completed the Bible Study, “Forgiven and Set Free” with Vanessa and Christie from the Pregnancy Center at a near by town in the spring of 2014. For the first time in my life, I did not feel alone. There were and are others who know what I was going through. They called it, “silent grieving” and “Post-Abortion Stress Syndrome.” The healing began.

I had always known that God forgave my past sin, but I did not embrace that forgiveness concerning my abortion until then. I experienced a freedom and relief from my guilt and shame.

I was able to grieve my child with an identity and the knowledge that my baby was with Jesus and someday we will meet. Healing was mine.

I don’t know where my life would be today if that sign had not been on the side of this church. God planned this in my life. He has a plan for this center. We are willing vessels who are trusting God to bring those whose lives need healing and direction, whose lives need the love of Jesus.

And we look forward to partnering with you as we pray for and love on this community in Arizona.

Cathy Barnella is a friend of CWA. Her story begins tragically, like so many others, but ends in hope and healing — two things we pray for every woman who has an abortion. May her story inspire others to seek the help that they may not even realize they need.

The (now seven) videos from the Center for Medical Progress have clearly outlined Planned Parenthood’s disregard for not only life but also the law. Another heartbreaking facet is how the mainstream media choses to ignore these facts to better serve their own interests. Instead of fair and unbiased reporting, the media chooses sides and overwhelmingly reports on pieces that illicit a response that does not inconvenience anyone or make anyone unnecessarily uncomfortable.

Yet, these videos force us to come to terms with the immediate consequences of our actions, something to which human beings are naturally resistant. Finally, what the pro-life crowd has been saying for years is staring back at us from a petri dish: these are babies — no doubt about it.

When Kermit Gosnell was charged and convicted, the pro-choice cult was quick to remind us that he is the exception to the rule and most places do not participate in illegal partial-birth abortions. Most places are legal and safe. However, after seven videos, some of which contain upper-level executives of Planned Parenthood confirming our worst nightmares, we now know the gruesome practice of these clinics is not only not the exception, it is the rule.

Planned Parenthood is desperate. The organization and its minions regurgitate the statistical malarkey that a mere 3% of the services it provides relate to abortion, but shockingly that is not the whole truth. Giving a woman a 12-month supply of birth control equals 12 services, an ultrasound equals another, a pregnancy test, yet another. During one visit to Planned Parenthood, a woman can easily rack up 20 “services.” Nothing Planned Parenthood provides that is related to women’s health is exclusive to Planned Parenthood. Federally Qualified Health Centers also provide poor women healthcare, in fact, thirteen times more than Planned Parenthood without participating in abortions and the bartering of baby body parts.

Planned Parenthood has an agenda, and to think that their sole interest is women is a lie. Over and over again one thing has come across loud and clear: Planned Parenthood is concerned with the bottom line; they’ve said so themselves. It is appalling that a cent of taxpayer money has gone towards the vicious annihilation of a generation, especially considering Planned Parenthood tops one billion dollars in assets. Even if no taxpayer funds go directly into providing abortions, those dollars allow Planned Parenthood to keep the lights on and print pink t-shirts to hand out to their blind celebrity following. Do not be deceived; taxpayer funding allows Planned Parenthood to more efficiently operate.

Watching videos, getting upset and then not doing anything is wasted energy. Share the videos, talk about them with your family, share them with your church family, and call your congressman and your senators. Five states have already barred Planned Parenthood from receiving state taxpayer funding. If you live in one of those states, thank your governor and work on your federal representatives. Sign a petition, write a letter to your local newspaper, attend a protest, and help us get the word out. Emotion without action does not illicit change any more than ignoring the issue does.

Editor’s Note: The videos are gruesome and although not everyone can stomach them, everyone should know what they contain. CWA has taken the liberty of summarizing the videos for those who may not be able to handle the visual heaviness of such issues. That summary is available here.