Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has spearheaded a coalition of 10 Republican governors in formally asking the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration to revoke Planned Parenthood's eligibility under the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program.
The 340B Drug Pricing Program, created by Congress in 1992, requires drug manufacturers to provide outpatient medication at steep discounts to eligible "covered entities," including safety-net hospitals and community health centers. Proponents say the program helps underserved communities stretch scarce resources.
In a letter delivered Thursday, the governors argued that the drug‐discount program, which is designed to help low-income health providers, should not be used, even indirectly, to subsidize abortion services. Among the signers are the governors of Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
"Taxpayers should never, under any circumstances, fund abortion," Stitt said in a news release. "That's exactly why I led 10 Republican governors urging HRSA to revoke Planned Parenthood's 340B status — this program was meant to help patients, not bankroll abortion."
The governors contend that although federal law prohibits direct taxpayer funding of abortion, the fungibility of money means savings from 340B discounts could free up unrestricted funds that indirectly support abortion operations.
Their letter warns that even Planned Parenthood affiliates in states with pro-life restrictions could benefit from the organization’s broader national infrastructure.
The letter also notes Stitt's prior opposition to expanding 340B access: Earlier this year, he vetoed a bill, HB 2048, that would have widened the program's reach.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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