Democratic Leaders Likely To Remove Family Planning Provision From Economic Stimulus Proposal

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Sexual Health / STDs;  Public Health
Article Date: 28 Jan 2009 - 4:00 PDT

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President Obama has asked House Democrats to cut a provision of their economic stimulus proposal that would give states more flexibility to expand Medicaid coverage of family planning services, the AP/Austin American-Statesman reports. According to the AP/American-Statesman, several Democratic officials said that House leaders likely would abandon the provision at Obama's request, which was made "at a time when the administration is courting Republican critics of the legislation." A final decision is expected on Tuesday, when Obama is scheduled to meet separately with House and Senate Republicans.

Under the provision, states would be allowed to expand Medicaid family planning services without having to request special permission from HHS. Republicans had criticized Democrats' inclusion of the provision as politically motivated, saying that it exemplified wasteful spending in the stimulus plan that would neither create jobs nor help the economy. According to the AP/American-Statesman, Obama's request to drop the provision from the stimulus package "underscores the administration's desire to signal a spirit of bipartisanship, a recurring theme for the president in his first week in office."

The Senate is expected to vote on a companion stimulus measure next week, and congressional leaders expect to have finalized legislation for Obama by mid-February (Espo/Taylor, AP/Austin American-Statesman, 1/27).

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