Attorney General James Denounces Trump Administration for Gutting Family Planning Services

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James and a multistate coalition of 20 other attorneys general today called on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to immediately reinstate tens of millions of dollars in Title X funds, which provide federal funding to health centers for family planning and reproductive health care, including birth control and other non-abortion services. Last month, HHS recklessly cut off support for vital family planning and health care services across the country without reason, leading to the complete loss of federal family planning funding in several states. In a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Attorney General James and the coalition warned that the recent decision to withhold these Title X funds will have devastating public health consequences, including more unintended pregnancies, more sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and increased rates of undiagnosed HIV and cervical cancer.

"The federal administration continues to play politics with the lives of the American people," said Attorney General James. "By slashing funding to necessary health care clinics and providers, they are putting millions of Americans at risk while forcing states to clean up the mess. This cruel and shortsighted attack on essential health care will have disastrous impacts in every corner of our country. My fellow attorneys general and I are calling on the administration to reverse this mistaken policy."

On March 31, HHS notified several grant recipients, whose subgrantees constitute nearly 25 percent of all Title X clinics, that their funding was being terminated despite no clear evidence of wrongdoing. As a result, some states have seen a complete loss of Title X funding and many others, including New York, face significant reductions.

Attorney General James and the coalition argue that this decision will be catastrophic, as proven by the devastating impact of previous Title X cuts under the first Trump administration. The 2019 Title X cuts resulted in a more than 60 percent drop in the number of patients served, and half of all Title X clinics in New York lost federal funding. Clinics were forced to reduce services or shut down altogether, and patients ended up forgoing recommended tests, lab work, STI testing, clinical breast exams, and Pap tests in large numbers. Between 2018 and 2019, Title X clinics across the nation performed 90,386 fewer Pap tests to screen for cervical cancer; 188,920 fewer breast exams; 276,109 fewer HIV tests; over one million fewer STI tests; and provided 361,000 fewer patients with birth control.

Attorney General James and the coalition argue that low-income and rural communities will suffer the most as a result of these cuts. After the 2019 cuts, Title X providers saw 573,650 fewer patients under the federal poverty level and 324,776 fewer uninsured patients. As the population served by Title X is disproportionately low-income and more likely to be on Medicaid, the financial loss caused by these cuts will be primarily felt by the states. When the first Trump administration cut Title X grants, states suffered an enormous financial burden, including a $14.2 million emergency appropriation in New York to cover the loss in funds.

In New York and nationwide, Title X programs play a critical role in delivering affordable, lifesaving healthcare. A 2016 survey showed that Title X clinics were the only source of comprehensive medical care for 60 percent of their patients. The Guttmacher Institute estimates that as a direct result of these cuts, at least 834,000 patients – 30 percent of all Title X patients – will lose care annually. Guttmacher also anticipates higher rates of unplanned pregnancies, higher STI rates, and worse overall health.

In the letter, Attorney General James and the coalition assert that HHS has provided no legitimate evidence to justify the funding cuts, instead relying on vague accusations and political targeting of certain providers. Many of the notices that clinics and providers received point to “possible violations” of civil rights laws or the president’s Executive Orders, but the evidence provided fails to support any such claim. In one letter, HHS simply referenced a statement the grantee issued on racism in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd. The attorneys general allege that these allegations are a pretext for the administration to penalize reproductive health care providers it dislikes. Meanwhile, the harm to patients and already strained state budgets is immediate and measurable.

Attorney General James and the coalition are urging HHS to reinstate the withheld grants and restore full funding to the Title X program.

Joining Attorney General James in sending this letter are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.