President Joe Biden’s administration gave Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas and Planned Parenthood of South Texas $1.4 million in taxpayer-funded grants in a direct response to the Texas Heartbeat Act.
The two Texas chapters of the nation’s largest abortion provider received the money from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) last year.
“This competitive grant opportunity addressing dire family planning needs was … part of a series of recent actions HHS took to protect patients and health care providers in response to the Texas Law SB 8,” read an HHS press release announcing the grants back in January 2022.
SB 8, also known as the Texas Heartbeat Act, was passed in 2021. It banned abortion in cases where a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which typically happens at around six weeks gestation.
The grant of $785,256 received by Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas was titled “Providing Title X Family Planning Services in West Texas in the Aftermath of SB 8.” In its description of the grant, HHS emphasized the importance of increasing “family planning services” in response to SB 8.
“The urgency for family planning services has increased since the passage of Texas Senate Bill 8 … which effectively bans abortion with no exceptions for rape, incest, fetal viability, or the health or life of the pregnant person past about six weeks — before most pregnancies are discovered,” the grant description reads.
The $623,280 grant to Planned Parenthood of South Texas focuses on providing contraception services.
The grants were funded through the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed by Biden in 2021.
HHS distributed $265 million in taxpayer dollars for Title X grants in 2022, $16 million of which went to regional Planned Parenthoods around the country. According to its latest financial report, Planned Parenthood receives 35% of its revenue from “Government Health Services Reimbursements & Grants.”
Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas received an additional $4.6 million in Title X grants since 2022.
The Hyde Amendment states that federal taxpayer money cannot be used to fund the vast majority of abortions. Planned Parenthood has claimed it complies with the law. However, anti-abortion advocates often assert that such funds are ultimately fungible, as taxpayer money used to support such organizations allegedly enables affiliated abortion providers by covering different operational costs.
Neither Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas nor Planned Parenthood of South Texas responded to a request for comment.