Rep. Pete Olson recently reintroduced pro-life legislation that would require states to report how funds they received through Medicaid are spent on organizations that perform, promote, or refer for abortion services. This bill would provide a greater accountability of taxpayer funds that go to organizations that perform or promote abortions.

“This legislation honors my promise to the people of the 22nd District of Texas to continue to do all I can to block taxpayer funds for abortion advocates.  If passed it would shine a bright light on where taxpayer dollars are being spent by groups that promote or perform abortions," Olson said. "Greater transparency is critically important and precisely what these groups seek to avoid.  It took me and 25 of my House colleagues, along with 5 Senators to force the General Accounting Office (GAO) to perform an audit on these groups to determine that they received close to $1 billion in federal funding over an 8 year period. This bill would ensure that state funds allocated to these groups through Medicaid are known to the public as well.

"Any taxpayer funds allocated to groups that promote and especially perform abortions are dollars they do not have to spend elsewhere.  The recent House vote of 240-145 in support of an amendment to block federal funds for Planned Parenthood demonstrates the strong support to block taxpayer funds for these organizations.  I will continue to do all I can to prevent taxpayers from being forced to support abortion organizations."

 Olson's bill is H.R. 593, the Taxpayer Conscience Protection Act of 2011.  It directs each state that makes a Medicaid payment from federal funds during the fiscal year for any items or services furnished by an abortion provider to: (1) report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) on all such payments, and (2) publish the report on a public Internet website of the state.  It also requires an annual report to specified congressional committees on such reports, which shall also be published on a public Internet HHS website.

 Click herefor a recent Olson floor speech in support of the amendment to block federal funds for Planned Parenthood.

###