Posted on 04/04/2011 7:27:24 PM PDT by rhema
Texas lawmakers passed a series of amendments to the biennial state budget that would move nearly $70 million in funding for family planning to organizations that provide alternatives to abortion and other health services.
The 2012-13 budget passed 98-49, largely along party lines, in the Texas House late Sunday night, and Democrats were seen voting “present” instead of rejecting amendments providing extra funding for mental health services for children, trauma care, and funding for the deaf and the blind, according to the Texas Tribune.
In a 100-44 vote Friday, the House passed an amendment by Republican Rep. Randy Weber that transfers almost $7.4 million from family planning funding to crisis pregnancy centers, which provide alternatives to abortions.
Abortion giant Planned Parenthood responded on Twitter, saying, “Outrageous! TX House just voted to take $8.3 million from family planning to give to unregulated crisis pregnancy centers for the next 2 yrs.”
House GOP then started diverting family planning funding to other health services, causing Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner to claim the amendments were causing the lawmakers to choose between funding “child one or child two.” He then urged Democrats to to abstain from voting on the amendments, which as many as 44 members did.
Democrats shied away from talking about the abortions provided by family planning services, but instead focused on how the cuts would affect the screenings for diabetes, breast and cervical cancer testings, and other medical screenings provided by the services.
But Holly Whitehead, executive director of Pregnancy Resources of Abilene, Texas, said that there are a number of non-profit organizations, including Alliance for Women and Children and the local health department, that also provide medical examinations for women at a low cost without providing abortions. She also stressed that these organizations do not have the profit component of Planned Parenthood and other family planning organizations.
“I think that putting money into human services that are helpful to women and families is a good thing,” she said, noting that with the extra money, those organizations will be able to expand their services.
House Republicans also passed amendments that diverted family planning funding to other health services, causing Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner to claim the amendments were causing the lawmakers to choose between funding “child one or child two.” He then urged Democrats to to abstain from voting on the amendments, which as many as 44 members did.
One amendment would add $6.6 million to pay for services for children with autism, while another moved $1 million to mental health services for children. Also in the bill were amendments to move money to trauma care, early childhood intervention and the Department of Aging and Disability Services, and care for the deaf and the blind. All of the amendments were adopted.
Republican Rep. Wayne Christian, who proposed the amendment moving money from family planning to autism said, “We don’t choose between good and bad, we choose between necessary and necessary,” according to the Texas Tribune.
Cut spending!!!!!!!!
/johnny
Abortions cost less than an iPad. Fund them yourselves, you selfish twits.
Thanks rhema.
Your time is coming. People are realizing how horrific you are.
If we continue this trend, just maybe we’ll deserve God’s help against the enemies in DC who are intent on destroying the country
If we continue this trend, just maybe we’ll deserve God’s help against the enemies in DC who are intent on destroying the country
The state Senate is more than one-third Democrat and can stop all of this, as important things require 2/3 votes there. People in TX don’t know about the 2/3 rule in the state Senate.
I say Tea Parties have a lot more power than many detractors want to admit.
ping
That’s a tiny step in the correct direction. We need much more. God, help us.
Yeah, deal with it, you communists.
You can say that again.
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