Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), and supporter of deceased late-term abortionist, George Tiller, said on Friday that a Texas health program for low-income women will no longer receive federal funding because Planned Parenthood has been banned from the program.
Two weeks ago, Texas state officials announced plans to prevent Planned Parenthood from participating in the Medicaid Women’s Health Program, which provides health screenings and contraceptive services. The state has made the decision to exclude clinics from the program that are affiliated with abortion providers, even though the clinics themselves do not provide abortions.
Ms. Sebelius said that the federal government, which has covered about 90% of the cost of the program, will gradually end the program over the next few months. “The waiver will not be extended,” she said. “We’ve put them on notice.”
Federal requirements stipulate that the state is not permitted to exclude qualified providers from the women’s program, and Texas has not received a waiver from those regulations.
Texas Governor Rick Perry, however, announced that his state will find the cash to allow the program to continue its services. “We’re going to fund this program,” Gov. Perry said. “Listen, we’ll find the money. The state is committed to this program…This program is not going away.”
The governor directed his state’s secretary of the Health and Human Services Commission to work with the Texas legislature to locate funding for the program. Approximately 130,000 women are enrolled in the program.
“For them not to do it (fund the program), on its face, is just blatant politics. And it’s clear that they’re trying to support an organization that supports them,” asserted Gov. Perry. Mr. Perry wrote a letter to President Obama, which stated that, if federal funding of the program ends, “Texas intends to provide sufficient funding to continue these services from the time your administration terminates the current program until the courts or Congress overturn your administration’s political decision.”
A spokesperson for Gov. Perry also said, “We are still very disappointed this (Obama) administration is choosing to side with abortion providers … instead of 130,000 Texas women.”
In response, Secretary Sebelius said, “It is illegal to spend any federal money on abortion. This has nothing to do with abortion.”
Yet, speaking of her warning to the state that their law would end funding for the program, the secretary said, “”They knew … they are not allowed to deny women the right to choose.”
First, when did something being “illegal” ever stop this administration before?
Second, is Kathleen Sebelius really hoping we haven’t noticed that, while she is telling us “it is illegal to spend any federal money on abortion,” the Obama administration is also forcing the Catholic Church and other religious groups to provide abortion-inducing drugs to their employees, free of charge?