Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act of 2017 (H.R. 217)

HR 217 would amend Title X of the Public Health Service Act to prohibit family planning grants from being awarded to any entity that performs abortions, and for other purposes.

Exceptions are made for abortions where:

• the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest; or
• a physician certifies that the pregnant individual suffered from a physical disorder, injury, or illness that would place the patient in danger of death unless an abortion is performed, including a condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy.

Hospitals are exempted unless they provide funds to non-hospital entities that perform abortions.

Reporting Requirements

HHS would be required to include in an annual report:

• information on grantees who performed abortions under the exceptions; and
• a list of entities to which grant funds are made available.

According to Planned Parenthood:

Many Planned Parenthood health centers receive federal grants for family planning services through the Title X Family Planning Program, which helps all types of family planning health centers (not just Planned Parenthood) provide birth control, sex education, and other reproductive health services to low-income patients, helping to avert 1.1 million unintended pregnancies per year. [HR 217] would block Planned Parenthood health centers from receiving this funding, which would cut women off from the basic preventive health care that they currently get at those health centers.

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Related Legislation

Similar to H.R. 853.

Identical to H.R. 217/S. 51, which failed to pass during the 2015/2016 legislative sessions.

Identical to H.R. 61, H.R. 217, and S. 135, which failed to pass during the 2013/2014 legislative sessions.

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