NEWS PROVIDED BY
Liberty Counsel 
July 3, 2019
 
NEW YORK, July 3, 2019 /Standard Newswire/ -- Rather than follow a new Trump administration rule that protects women and unborn children, New York City officials will forgo $1.3 million in federal funds for its public hospitals so that "health care providers" can promote and make referrals for abortion.

Mayor Bill de Blasio, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Herminia Palacio, and President and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals Dr. Mitchell Katz announced last week that the city's public health system will stop participating in the federal Title X program as long as the Protect Life Rule is in effect.

The Department of Health and Human Services issued the Protect Life Rule to stop the flow of Title X federal funds to family planning facilities that perform abortions or do abortion referrals. This regulation means that clinics that receive federal family planning grants called Title X — which pay for birth control, testing for sexually transmitted diseases, and cancer screenings — will not be allowed to be housed in the same buildings as those that also provide abortions.  This regulation will stop federal funding flowing to Planned Parenthood by approximately $60 million.

Mayor Bill de Blasio calls it the "gag rule" and said, "The doctors and nurses at the heart of New York City's public hospital system took an oath to protect and serve patients, and we will do whatever's necessary to ensure they are able to provide the best medical treatment. Our decision to reject Title X funds sends a clear message – we will not stand by while the Trump Administration tries to censor our providers and prevent them from giving patients information about abortions."

The so-called "Reproductive Health Act," recently signed into law by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, authorizes the murder of unborn babies up to the point of birth for any reason and revokes medical care for babies who are born alive after a failed abortion. This new law also seeks to deny any recognition or protection for human beings before birth under any circumstances.

"This tantrum by Mayor de Blasio and other New York City hospital bureaucrats to forgo federal funds is driven by their absence of concern for human lives," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. "There are people that truly need medical attention in those hospitals. However, it is ironic that doctors and nurses in the public hospital system 'took an oath to protect and serve patients' but city and state officials will do whatever necessary to murder unborn children and harm women. This is just another example that New York wants to become the world sanctuary for abortions," said Staver.

Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics. Liberty Counsel provides broadcast quality TV interviews via Hi-Def Skype and LTN at no cost.

SOURCE Liberty Counsel

CONTACT: Mat Staver, 407-875-1776, Liberty@LC.org

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