Ellmers bill aims to bring transparency to federal funding for family planning services

U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) introduced legislation on Thursday that aims to bring transparency to how federal funds are used to provide family planning and preventative health care services at medical facilities.

Under the Title X Transparency Act, H.R. 4778, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) would be directed to launch a comprehensive, independent review of how Title X funding is used by health care facilities, including Planned Parenthood.

“Title X is a federally funded program, administered through the Public Health Service Act (PHSA), which solely provides for family planning services and related women’s preventative care,” Ellmers said. “This legislation is about finding the facts and equipping ourselves with the truth so that we can make informed decisions.”

Under the bill, the GAO would be directed to report to Congress on the medical practices of health care facilities that receive Title X funding within two years of the bill’s passage.

Ellmers said the study would serve as an “important tool” to learn how taxpayer dollars are used and to learn which medical services are prioritized.

“The findings produced from this study would give Congress the opportunity to formally review the medical practices of women’s healthcare facilities and act accordingly,” Ellmers said. “It is our duty as representatives to provide oversight of your taxpayer dollars, and that’s what this legislation, H.R. 4778, allows us to do.”