The federal government currently sends millions of dollars to the states through the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program. Beth Vanderkooi of Greater Columbus Right to Life in Ohio explains that the states decide how to manage those, assuming certain broad standards are met. Her state is one that allots some of the money to pro-life pregnancy centers.
But the Biden administration has proposed a rule change that specifically calls out pregnancy help centers for "likely" not meeting the standards. His changes are reportedly meant to "strengthen the safety net and reduce administrative burden."
"Because a handful of states are using TANF dollars to support pregnant women and families through pregnancy centers, the Biden administration is going after them," Vanderkooi reports. "This is a direct attack on pregnancy centers, and it is a direct attack on states that have, until now, enjoyed great latitude and flexibility to design their own programs."
She encourages the public to take advantage of the opportunity they have to challenge the proposed rule change by electronically creating and sending public comments. Without them, she says pregnancy centers will be eliminated.
"This rule was actually kind of quietly introduced in October," the pro-lifer notes. "With really no fanfare and very little discussion, the Department of Health and Human Services opened this rule up for public comment."
The goal in challenging the rule is for states to maintain their autonomy in how the TANF funds are used. Comments must be filed by Friday, December 1. Only 117 have been sent so far.
Meanwhile, an education analyst advises conservatives against believing that the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) is rethinking its proposal to add gender identity to Title IX protections.
Jonathan Butcher, a Will Skillman fellow in education for The Heritage Foundation, speculates the most recent delay may be due the "historic number of comments" -- more 240,000 -- the government has received regarding the changes. All of them must be reviewed.
"People are opposed to it," he states. "They don't want their child taught that one day they can wake up and just say that they don't feel like the body that they were born in and that should be affirmed somehow."
If the Biden administration proceeds with adding gender identity to Title IX, Butcher expects the DOE will resort to a well-used government strategy.
"I think what we should be on the lookout for is that the administration will surprise everyone with an announcement the day before a holiday or on a Friday afternoon before the close of business," he says. "I've seen that happen other times in the release of unpopular government regulations or decisions."
Conservative organizations are already preparing to file lawsuits to fight the proposed Title IX change.
