(Washington, D.C.): Yesterday, Americans United for Life (AUL) submitted an administrative comment to the Office of Budget Management (OMB) on the proposed rule for Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance (91 Fed. Reg. 32,198) (2 C.F.R. pt. 200.477) which reads, “§ 200.477 Abortion. Costs associated with elective abortions are unallowable, except as expressly authorized by Federal law.”
AUL agrees the proposed rule is consistent with long-standing, federal abortion funding restrictions but suggests changing “elective abortion” to “abortion,” and strengthening the language “costs associated with elective abortions.” Without these changes, AUL warns the proposed language may lead abortion activists to seek an exception for “health” where there is none or allow the rule to otherwise be narrowly interpreted.
Carolyn McDonnell, Litigation Counsel for Americans United for Life, stated, “Abortion funding restrictions have long been a cornerstone of federal appropriations. OMB’s proposed rule aligns with that legal tradition and ensures that government funds do not subsidize abortion, but, instead, support authentic women’s healthcare.”
Brooke Paz, Senior Legal Fellow for AUL, noted, “Both Congress and the American people have long made clear that taxpayer dollars should not fund abortion. While OMB’s proposed rule is an important step toward restoring responsible stewardship of federal funds, the Administration should strengthen the language to prevent abortion proponents from exploiting ambiguity and to ensure federal awards remain dedicated to beneficial public purposes.”
Read the full administrative comment here.
For more information or to arrange an interview with AUL, contact Gavin Oxley at [email protected] or 202-987-3321.
Since 1971, Americans United for Life (AUL) has advanced the human right to life in culture, law, and policy by equipping advocates and lawmakers with the facts and strategies that change hearts and minds and protect human life. The first national pro-life organization in the country, AUL is a nonprofit, public-interest law and policy organization with a four-star rating from Charity Navigator.
