Sexual and Reproductive Health and the Federal Budget

Each year, the president, House of Representatives, and Senate lay out their priorities for the country when they release their annual budgets. These federal budgets reflect the values and visions of their respective branches and proposals to fund the federal government for the upcoming fiscal year (FY), which runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30.

The budget proposals are intended to serve as guidelines for the legislators who actually allocate funding for federal programs through appropriations. This annual process funds much of the government, including sexual and reproductive health care programs.

The Federal Budget and Health Care

The federal budget and appropriations processes are intended to operate on separate but overlapping tracks, with key dates and approximate deadlines. Throughout this process, Planned Parenthood will work to ensure that programs that expand access to sexual and reproductive health care and education are preserved.

The Affordable Care Act, Title X, Medicaid, the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, and the Personal Responsibility Education Program are all major programs that Planned Parenthood is working to expand and protect. We’re working to remind Congress as they decide on the federal budget that investing in family planning and education programs not only saves lives, it saves taxpayer money.