NPG Paper Denounces GOP Pushes to Gut Planned Parenthood and ACA

• NPG
• August 29, 2017
• Press Releases
• 0 Comments

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NPG Paper Denounces GOP Pushes to Gut Planned Parenthood and ACA

New report finds that short-sighted agendas of “Trump Era” politicians are driving new U.S. policies, which may dangerously increase population size and growth.

Alexandria, VA – After repeated Congressional attempts to defund Planned Parenthood and repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Negative Population Growth (NPG) will release a new Forum paper today.  The NPG report analyzes the impact of current conservative stances on both reproductive healthcare and foreign aid policy, finding that each will likely result in decreased access to contraceptive and family planning resources for millions.  NPG President Don Mann noted:  “In recent months, the 115th Congress has attempted to pass legislation which would strip all federal funding from Planned Parenthood and repeal the ACA – including its popular provision that requires most insurance companies to provide birth control with no copay.  The White House has vowed to press forward with these objectives at every opportunity – which would deny millions of Americans access to safe, effective contraception.  Simply fulfilling this controversial agenda could have a devastating impact on America’s fertility rates – and result in massive U.S. population growth in the years ahead.”

Titled Resurgent Pro-Natalism in the Trump Administration, the new report was authored by former NPG Deputy Director Tracy Henke.  As part of its analysis of current policy, the Forum piece also outlines the critical relationship between healthcare funding, fertility levels, and population growth in the United States.  Henke explained:  “What we are witnessing is more than just a tug-of-war between liberal and conservative viewpoints.  Americans must not lose sight of the overriding issue:  the more funding we cut from these programs, the more people we prevent from having access to affordable birth control – and that means we will likely see fertility rates begin to rise.  And with that increased population, the greater social, economic, and environmental pressure we place on society.”

The Forum paper also draws critical attention to recent foreign aid decisions, including President Trump’s reinstatement of the Mexico City Policy.  The Forum explains that this policy “cuts U.S. funding to any international non-governmental organization that performs, promotes, or even gives information regarding abortions.  …This means that routine health care and medication, as well as contraception, may be withheld from those most in need around the world,” which may have a significant impact on global population growth.  The paper highlights that “Our leaders must consider dispassionately the long-term impacts of these actions on current high fertility rates, overpopulation, and the resulting destabilization in key third world regions that would boost future refugee and immigration flows into the U.S.”

NPG President Donald Mann noted:  “Unfortunately, denying access to safe, effective contraceptives and slashing any available funding for family planning programs have become forms of political patronage among conservative circles in Washington.  The more this occurs, the more our nation moves farther away from responsible and sustainable fertility and population policies.  If citizens don’t unite and derail these dangerous and short-sighted activities, it could hinder any chance to ever stop U.S. or global population growth.”  Mann added:  “The implications will extend far beyond our own borders.  And this overpopulation will lead to greater political pressure to open the gates for countless millions more immigrants to enter our country.  The population growth that will result from these actions – both in the U.S. and abroad – will ultimately be devastating to our nation.”

The Forum paper concludes:  “By addressing and enacting policies which act to reduce U.S. population size and growth, our nation can once again act as an example to the rest of the world.  We can outline population policies which will work for the betterment of our national future, and we can illustrate to other nations exactly how to implement such policies…  The Trump Administration’s desire to see both freedom of reproductive choice and federal funding for contraception eliminated must become secondary to the urgent need to slow, halt, and eventually reverse U.S. and world population growth. If birth rates increase as a result of our domestic or foreign policies, then our population will begin to grow even more rapidly – leading to even further environmental and economic difficulties.”