Daniels to sign controversial Planned Parenthood bill
Washington (CNN) - Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels said Friday he will sign a bill to cut off much of the federal funds aimed for Planned Parenthood's chapter in his state. The group had said the bill will eliminate key health services for many women in the state.
"I commissioned a careful review of access to services across the state and can confirm that all non-abortion services, whether family planning or basic women's health, will remain readily available in every one of our 92 counties," he said in a written statement.
House Bill 1210, which passed both houses of the state legislature by large margins, will reject about $2 million of the $3 million in federal money the group receives for preventive health services for women, including birth control, breast and cervical cancer screenings and other tests in Indiana.
"It's outrageous that Governor Mitch Daniels has decided to abandon his short-lived truce on social issues to sign a dangerous bill that would have a devastating impact on women's health and take away health care from thousands of women in Indiana, leaving them at greater risk for undetected cancers, untreated infections and unintended pregnancies," Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in a statement Friday.
"Clearly, Governor Daniels would rather play politics with women's health than show leadership and fiscal responsibility in rejecting a bill that will ultimately cost the state millions in federal funding. If Governor Daniels chooses to run for president, his decision to sign this bill will make it harder for him to win key women voters," she continued.
This bill is the first in the country to take this type of action against the organization, but several other states are considering similar ones. Planned Parenthood has called it an "unprecedented attack" on women's health care.
Proponents of the bill have said they don't want federal money going to an organization that performs abortions, while federal law prevents its money being used for abortion services.
Planned Parenthood has said its federal dollars do not fund abortions although critics believe any such grants indirectly help the group to provide abortions by giving it money to fund its other services.
"Any organization affected by this provision can resume receiving taxpayer dollars immediately by ceasing or separating its operations that perform abortions," Daniels said in his statement.
The measure will also restrict access to abortions for pregnancies of no more than 20 weeks putting some of the tightest restrictions in the nation. Five states now have a similar restriction.
"I supported this bill from the outset, and the recent addition of language guarding against the spending of tax dollars to support abortions creates no reason to alter my position," he said in the statement.
Planned Parenthood said it believes the bill would cost the state about $4 million separately in federal Medicaid dollars because the state could separate out which organizations could offer services to their patients.
But Daniels said he has taken actions to prevent that from happening. "I have ordered the Family and Social Services Administration to see that Medicaid recipients receive prompt notice of nearby care options. We will take any actions necessary to ensure that vital medical care is, if anything, more widely available than before.
It is a controversial bill, and some political analysts thought it might put Daniels, as he weighs a presidential bid, in a tough spot. He has called for a "truce" on the pushing of social issues as he thinks more of the national emphasis should be put on fighting the nation's mounting debt, which he has said is crippling. The governor however has also a strong record of opposing abortion rights.
Daniels told the Indianapolis Star on Thursday he had not made up his mind regarding a presidential bid but hoped to make a decision soon. The governor will sign an education reform bill on Saturday that requires schools to annually evaluate teachers and base employment decisions on those evaluations. He will have a media availability at that signing and is expected to be pressed on the prospects of entering the presidential sweepstakes. His spokeswoman, Jane Jankowski, told CNN Friday that event will be focused on his education agenda and that he still has not made up his mind and is not expected to have any announcements regarding his future.
–Follow Kevin Bohn on Twitter: @KevinBohnCNN
You know ... out of all the potential Republican candidates for President, Mitch Daniels seemed to have had the most potential. His call for a 'truce on social issues' could have resonated with moderates and independents. Well, he has shown his true colors. Better now than have him switch his tune while in the White House. He just killed his chances of being our President.
He didn't get anywhere with busting labor unions. He's managed to block medical services to women. Look out, seniors....Medicare is next on his list. This has been a pattern with these Repub blockheads.
More from the party of pure evil.
I see Republicans, especially Daniels, as seriously flawed if he has to call a "truce" on social issues to concentrate on the nation's mounting debt. He (Trump too) must have a very low IQ–I think this is especially true of most Republican leaders. What kind of leader can only deal with one issue at a time? The Republican way–no way out if you're not rich, white, and male.
Daniels sound like just another filthy republican, running around hurting women, children and minorities. I hate guys like this.
Another male politician who'd like to see the little women barefoot and preggers in the home. What a throwback to caveman mentality we have in this country. Good lord!!! Like women can so easily go after the men who get them preggers and make them pay child support. All this no abortions nonsense will end up driving up the deficit over the long haul and increase crime to boot. It has in the past and the only time in our country's history that crime went down was after abortions were legalized. You can look up the statistics. Very interesting stuff. Pretty soon, life will be said to start with an erection.
Right-wing wackos impose their religious beliefs on society……a sad day for a country that was founded for religious freedom…and the right not to practice religion if you choose.
This brainwashed right-wing country is not the one I love…..
Another nail in the GOP coffin. Doesn't this CLOWN know that only 3% of cases through planned parenthood is abortion and that 3% is privately funded?
This is a deal breaker for me. I am an independent who leans toward Democrats a majority of the time but but as an Indiana resident, I've tried to view Daniels through my more independent lens – acknowledging the good things he has accomplished in this state while questioning some of the others. But this does it for me – tuning him out now. I thought he was more authentic and clear-headed – that he knew cutting this kind of benefit would only serve to increase costs/welfare, etc. in the long run. Now, I think he's just gone political on us all. Shame on you – you are in NO WAY my Man for anything!!!!!!!!
Who cares about the people who could benefit from Planned Parenthood, I have an election coming up!
FYI: NO...... Federal Funds....... NO........ Taxpayer money SUPPORTS NOR FUNDS ABORTIONS. So what is this Indiana law about but taking FREEDOM away from women.
People like this are a national disgrace that are living in the early 20th century attempting to drag this country backwards.
Who in the World votes for these out of touch, out of date has-beens?
The rest of the World have to be just shaking thier heads with dismay at these idiots we put in positions of responsibility.
Will cut off his nose to spite his face. Anything to deny the advances made by the Obama administration.
It's all about control with these dirtbags!
Why don't I ever hear any of these Republicans complaining about the amount spent on foreign aid, or the lost revenue brought about by tax subsidies to oil companies? They all favored the extension of the Bush tax cuts, which drove the economy into the ground. Now that the country is in financial trouble, they go after unions, teachers, seniors and women! I've always heard that Republican policies favor the rich and big business. The new GOP aren't hiding anything. They are blatantly proving those old stories to be true.
Since they could not kill it in the budget, all the republican gov's decided to kill it in their states.
Republicans are all in a huff about "my money shouldn't go to stuff I shouldn't support."
Can I get a refund for all my tax dollars that supported the Iraq War? Or big corporate tax breaks?
He's got my vote for President..... NO!!!!
Very sad that in the 21st century, anti-abortion family values extremists are pushing women's health care back into the Dark Ages. Appears that women's rights are under attack in the United States and Afghanistan.
Another low-life Republican working the far-right for votes. When your actual masters are the very rich you must get votes somewhere!
Violates Medicaid's prohibition against showing a preference and choosing between family planning service providers that are allowed to receive the funds. Instant preliminary injunction. It's why he feels safe doing it...there won't be any actual implementation and the societal fallout it would create...and why he envisions it creating political capital once the court challenge gives him a platform for pandering to social conservatives with rhetoric lambasting the challenge. He's running for POTUS or hoping to get a VP nod. Guaranteed.
Ok, so what's controversial about this bill? There does not appear to be any reduction in women's health care services, so what really is the problem? The governor gave a perfectly good solution to any organizations impacted by this decision. Seems to me that this governor is wisely removing the controversy of a clear organizational conflict of interest concerning organizations receiving federal funds, when said organization also performs abortions – since this is a violation of the Hyde Amendment.
Gee, I thought this guy was reasonable. Guess I was wrong.
The GOP is going to get slammed in the next elections. They're going way too far in restricting basic services, worker rights, healthcare, education, etc.
When Daniels can push a watermelon through his navel, THEN he gets a say in women's health issues.