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Summary

The federal government provides grants for voluntary family planning services through the Family Planning Program, Title X of the Public Health Service Act, codified at 42 U.S.C. 300 to 300a-6. The program, enacted in 1970, is the only domestic federal program devoted solely to family planning and related preventive health services. Title X is administered through the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) under the Office of Public Health and Science in the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). It receives its funding, however, through appropriations for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in DHHS. Although the authorization for Title X ended with FY1985, funding for the program has continued to be provided through appropriations bills for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS-Education). The Title X program received $300 million for FY2008, 6% more than the FY2007 level of $283.1 million. For FY2009, the President's budget requests $300 million, the same as the FY2008 level. The Senatereported Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill (S. 3230; S.Rept. 110-410) would also provide $300 million for Title X in FY2009. The law (42 U.S.C. 300a-6) prohibits the use of Title X funds in programs where abortion is a method of family planning. According to OPA, family planning projects that receive Title X funds are closely monitored to ensure that federal funds are used appropriately and that funds are not used for prohibited activities such as abortion. The prohibition on abortion does not apply to all the activities of a Title X grantee, but only to activities that are part of the Title X project. A grantee's abortion activities must be "separate and distinct" from the Title X project activities. Several bills addressing Title X have been introduced in the 110th Congress. The Prevention First Act (S. 21/H.R. 819) and the Reducing the Need for Abortion and Supporting Parents Act (H.R. 1074) would authorize Title X appropriations of $700 million for FY2008 and "such sums as may be necessary for each subsequent fiscal year." Other introduced bills include H.R. 104 and H.R. 5968, which would require assurances that family planning projects will provide pamphlets with adoption centers' contact information; S. 351 and H.R. 4133, which would prohibit Title X grants to abortion-performing entities; H.R. 1095, which would prohibit federal spending for any family planning activities; H.R. 2134, which would require parental notification before providing certain family planning services to minors; and H.Con.Res. 232, which would express the sense of Congress that confidentiality mandates for minors should be removed from Title X and Medicaid family planning programs. This report was originally written by Sharon Coleman. It has been revised by Angela Napili.

Related Legislation:
• S.3230
• S.21
• H.R.819
• H.R.1074
• H.R.104
• H.R.5968
• S.351
• H.R.4133
• H.R.1095
• H.R.2134
• S.232

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