By: Ashley Lopez
Pojman argued anyone who pays insurance premiums is paying into a system that covers other people’s abortions.
“This is about the State of Texas protecting individuals from having to fund abortions for someone else through their health insurance premiums,” he said.
By: Jardine Malado
“It is possible under current law for certain cities or counties to make contracts with abortion providers – even for abortions themselves – and for affiliates of abortion providers,” he said. “And we think that’s essentially funding the abortion industry,” he continued.
As an example, Pojman pointed to the city of Austin, which currently has a contract with Planned Parenthood to teach sex education and STD prevention.
He said he takes issue with taxpayer money going to Planned Parenthood in general even though the contracts were for services other than abortions.
“That means the taxpayers of Austin or anyone who comes to Austin and purchases any kind of item and pays sales tax is essentially funding Planned Parenthood, which is the largest provider of abortions in Texas,” he said.
By: Eleanor Dearman, State government reporter
Joe Pojman, Texas Alliance for Life executive director, said the group expects the three pieces of legislation to pass because they had support from both chambers during the regular session.
“Special sessions can be very tricky because there’s a much shorter period of time to pass bills, and the governor has asked the Legislature to consider quite a large number of issues,” he said. “There are very good authors that are carrying [the bills]. At this moment we see no issues with the Legislature passing each of those three bills.”
By: Steven Ertelt
Joe Pojman, executive director for Texas Alliance for Life, said cities and counties in Texas still are allowed to make contracts with abortion groups using taxpayer dollars. He said these contracts even could directly fund the killing of unborn babies in abortions.
He pointed to the city of Austen as an example; the city currently has a contract with Planned Parenthood to teach sex education and STD prevention. While the taxpayer money does not directly go to abortions, money is fungible; and any tax money that goes to an abortion group frees up other money for their abortion business.
By: Ashley Lopez
“The Hyde Amendment is not adequate,” said Joe Pojman, executive director for Texas Alliance for Life, referring to a law Congress passed in the 1970s that prohibits federal taxpayer dollars for paying for abortions.
Pojman said he wants to see stronger legislation.
“It is possible under current law for certain cities or counties to make contracts with abortion providers – even for abortions themselves – and for affiliates of abortion providers,” he said. “And we think that’s essentially funding the abortion industry.”
By: Sophie Novack
“It’s very clear now that [Justice Kennedy] will not uphold any state or federal provision that makes abortion less accessible, that’s the unfortunate reality,” said Joe Pojman, executive director of Texas Alliance for Life, an anti-abortion group aligned with House leadership.