Federal Funding for People in Poverty Is Going to Anti-Abortion Centers Instead

"The bulk of the money Missouri gives to its crisis pregnancy centers comes from federal funds meant to assist families experiencing poverty with basic necessities and child care, Republican Rep. Jason Smith said on the U.S. House floor in January. As many as $3 of every $4 for pregnancy centers in Missouri was from the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program in 2024, and in the 2026 fiscal year, it will be $2 out of $3."

"At least eight states have given TANF funds to crisis pregnancy centers in recent years, even before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned federal protections for abortion rights in 2022. According to data from the consulting firm Health Management Associates, more than $102 million from TANF went to the centers in those eight states between 2017 and 2023, including $22.5 million in Ohio, $11.75 million in Indiana and $12 million in Texas."

"The federal government gives TANF funds to each state as a lump sum, and states get to decide how to spend it. There are broad rules for how the funds can be used, but federal law specifies they should assist with facilitating housing or employment; prevent and reduce 'out-of-wedlock pregnancies'; and help form and maintain two-parent families."

Multiple states have redirected federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds intended for low-income families to crisis pregnancy centers. Missouri leads this trend, allocating $3 of every $4 in TANF funds to these centers in 2024, increasing from $4.3 million in 2022 to $10.3 million in fiscal year 2026. At least eight states have distributed over $102 million in TANF funds to crisis pregnancy centers between 2017 and 2023, including Ohio ($22.5 million), Indiana ($11.75 million), and Texas ($12 million). Federal law allows states broad discretion in spending TANF block grants with minimal oversight, and the U.S. House passed legislation explicitly authorizing crisis pregnancy centers as TANF fund recipients.

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