Gallego Fights to Keep Federal Tax Dollars from Flowing to Sham, Anti-Choice ‘Clinics’
WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-03) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra calling for the end of federal tax dollars flowing to so-called Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs).
“It is past time that we stop the flow of taxpayer dollars to extreme, dangerous Crisis Pregnancy Centers that intentionally deceive vulnerable women seeking reproductive care,” said Rep. Gallego. “TANF funds are meant to support work programs, child care, early education, and other vital family programs – not shaming and endangering women. These ‘clinics’ clearly fail to achieve TANF’s statutory purpose and goals.”
CPCs are illegitimate “medical clinics” that operate under the guise of health care while, in actuality, push an anti-choice agenda and do nothing to provide comprehensive reproductive health care, such as birth control and abortion services.
The letter expresses Rep. Gallego’s strong support for a proposed rule to prevent federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) dollars from going to CPCs, as eight states allowed in 2022. Earlier this year, far-right extremists forced a bill through the House to allow taxpayer dollars to fund CPCs. Rep. Gallego voted against this bill.
Rep. Gallego is a strong supporter of reproductive freedom and backs the Women’s Health Protection Act to codify the right to an abortion nationwide. He also backs the Right to Contraception Act to require pharmacies and pharmacists to provide birth control to a patient with a valid prescription without delay. Currently, several states – including Arizona – allow pharmacies and pharmacists to refuse to provide birth control.
Yesterday, Rep. Gallego signed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to reverse a stay that would override the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s scientific judgment and dramatically curtail access to mifepristone—a safe and effective medication approved by the FDA in 2000 for abortion and miscarriage management.
Last week, Rep. Gallego honored the 51st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision with a video in front of the Supreme Court.