Senate Democrats want to utilize government funding worth millions to educate medical professionals to perform abortions.
Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) filed a measure this week, titled “The Reproductive Health Care Training Act” which would allocate $25 million in government dollars over five years for a grant program that would be used toward teaching medical professionals how to conduct abortions.
According to a statement made by Murray’s office, the legislation will “help fulfill the current demand for additional women’s healthcare providers across the country, especially in states that enforce abortion restrictions.” In response to the Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling, medical students and teachers who are “being forced to make trips out of state for training” would benefit from the funding, according to Baldwin in a statement.
“Doctors must have the appropriate training in reproductive health care,” according to Baldwin, “in order for women to be able to exercise their right and freedom to manage their bodies. The Reproductive Health Care Training Act would help the medical programs that are witnessing an increase in the number of people who require training while lessening the load that out-of-state training entails.”
According to the text included in the bill, the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services would set up a program that provides grants or agreements to qualified organizations, such as academic health centers, either public or private charitable healthcare security net providers, accredited schools for health professions, and providers of reproductive and sexual health services, according to criteria set by the secretary.
The funding would be given out to prepare and motivate each trainee in a covered state to begin working as an abortion service provider after completing appropriate training, in addition to “expanding and supporting education for pupils, people who live there, or advanced practice professionals in covered states that allow abortion training.”
According to the proposed legislation, which has the backing of pro-abortion groups like Planned Parenthood, the program for grants would give preference to organizations in pro-abortion states in which “abortion care is allowed and/or thoroughly taught,” as well as groups in states where abortion instruction is restricted, “minority-serving institutions,” or “institutions that offer training to boost disadvantaged minority health professions.”
According to the bill’s “use of funds” section, monies may be used to “encourage or expand clinician training” for abortions or to “create and operate” abortion training courses. Additionally, the section highlights how award recipients might utilize the money to address “the difficulties to obtaining abortion care, which includes the necessities of racial and ethnic minority groups, individuals who have disabilities, and Tribal and medically disadvantaged communities.”
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