Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Pete Olson (TX-22) recently reintroduced his pro-life legislation requiring states to report how Medicaid funds are spent on organizations that perform, promote, or refer for abortion services. This bill would provide greater accountability of taxpayer funds that go to organizations that perform or promote abortions.
“As public opposition to abortion continues to grow, Americans now more than ever expect their government to block taxpayer funds for abortion advocates. We need a bright light on where taxpayer dollars are being spent by these groups,” Rep. Olson said. “Greater transparency is critically important and precisely what these groups seek to avoid.
“I and several colleagues recently requested that the General Accounting Office (GAO) perform another audit to again clarify how much taxpayer money abortion providers receive. GAO has agreed to do so. A similar 2010 audit, determined that groups like this received close to $1 billion in federal funding over an 8 year period. My bill would ensure that state funds allocated to these groups through Medicaid are known to the public as well. Taxpayer dollars spent by groups that promote and perform abortions are dollars these groups do not have to spend elsewhere. I will continue to do all I can to prevent taxpayers from being forced to support abortion organizations,” Olson concluded.
Olson’s bill is H.R. 2993, the Taxpayer Conscience Protection Act of 2013. 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.
