In correspondence between the Biden administration and Tennessee officials, the HHS Office of Population Affairs (OPA) wrote that doctors are expected to refer patients for abortions even if those abortions are illegal in the state the doctor works. "We understand that in some circumstances, those referrals will need to be made out of state," the OPA wrote.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press writes that Tennessee received $7.1 million in fiscal year 2022. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee proposed budget changes to replace the Title X funds Biden is withholding. This includes $7.5 million in recurring funds and $1.875 million in non-recurring funds for fiscal year 2023.
“The federal government is denying Tennessee funding that has supported critical maternal and family care for thousands of Tennesseans for decades,” Jade Byers, a spokeswoman for Gov. Bill Lee (D), told Live Action News. “As we discuss next steps with the Attorney General’s office, Governor Lee will fulfill his commitment to serving families by proposing to amend the state budget to include state dollars to fill the void caused by the federal government’s decision.”
