HARRISBURG, Pa. — If the University of Pittsburgh wants its annual $151 million appropriation from the state, it will have to stop its fetal tissue research.
Pennsylvania House Republicans amended this requirement into the state's appropriation bill for its four state-related universities by a 108-92 vote. Three GOP members, including Rep. Lori Mizgorski, R-Shaler, joined Democrats in opposing the amendment.
The past few years, Pitt has come under fire from some of the state House's most conservative members for its fetal tissue research. The disapproval has only grown among House GOP members over the last year for the role former Chancellor Mark Nordenberg played as chairman of the state's reapportionment committee. The committee redrew district lines in Western Pennsylvania to represent its declining population, which caused some local Republican incumbents to be drawn into the same district or lose their party advantage.
Each year, Pennsylvania sends more than $580 million to its four state-related universities — Pitt, Temple, Penn State and Lincoln. This is used to subsidize in-state student tuition, allowing the schools to offer discounts to Pennsylvania residents.
Criticism for Pitt came to a head this year, with House Republicans officially drawing a line in the sand Monday to block the university from receiving its funding unless it ceases its fetal tissue research, just as the Supreme Court overturned abortion as a federal constitutional right under Roe v. Wade.
The amendment approved Monday makes this funding "conditional," and would require Pitt to submit a statement to several top state leaders that swore Pitt is not using fetal tissue from elected abortions in its research.
"My goal is not to stop the funding," said Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-Schuylkill, who introduced the amendment. "As a matter of fact, I want to help Pitt get themselves out of a problem they have created for themselves."
Mr. Knowles said the Pennsylvania Family Institute, the Pro-Life Federation and the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference all supported his amendment.
The Pennsylvania Family Institute has been one of the main groups advocating for the state to withhold funding from Pitt while it conducts fetal-tissue research. Last year after the Legislature approved Pitt's appropriation, the Family Institute said in a news release it was passed "sadly without any conditions or limitations on the university's unethical experimentation using aborted babies."
In an official statement, a university spokesman said Pitt "devotes every dollar" of its state appropriation to its in-state student tuition discount, and that they're hopeful the Legislature will "preserve this investment in our students."
Minority Leader Rep. Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia, criticized her male colleagues for lecturing the women in the room about abortions and emphasized that the Legislature should be focused on finishing the state budget.
"While I welcome a debate on abortion, we are not here for that in this moment in time," Ms. McClinton added.
Lawmakers spent some of their afternoon debating this amendment, as well as an amendment from Rep. Aaron Bernstine, R-Ellwood City, to block Penn State's $252 million state appropriation until the university discloses the location of the statue of former football coach Joe Paterno. That amendment failed by a 162-38 vote. Six southwestern Pennsylvania Republicans supported it.
The clock is ticking for lawmakers. The Legislature has three days to meet its constitutionally required June 30 budget deadline.
As of Monday afternoon, however, Senate Republicans and Gov. Tom Wolf were still "far apart" on reaching a deal, said a spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward, R-Hempfield. The Senate canceled a session for Monday late Sunday night, but will return on Tuesday.
The Senate Republican caucus blamed Mr. Wolf for the budget stalemate. Mr. Wolf's office, in response, said the administration hasn't been able to get Senate GOP leaders to the table, a spokeswoman for Mr. Wolf said in an email.
Minority Leader Sen. Jay Costa, D-Forest Hills, had a bit more optimistic view of budget negotiations. He said there are a "handful" of issues that leaders need to come to an agreement on.
For Mr. Wolf, he's focused on increasing education funding at historic rates — his top issue since he took office. For Republicans, their unaddressed priority is coming to a deal on election legislation. Both sides still need to come together on how the state should spend its remaining $2 billion in federal stimulus dollars, too, Mr. Costa said.
"I think we can get there," Mr. Costa said Monday afternoon. "We still have a couple days, and I'm confident we'll get the budget to Gov. Wolf's desk before 11 p.m. on June 30."
The House will approve the appropriation for state-related universities on Tuesday. It requires two-thirds approval from the chamber to proceed. It will need to return to the Senate for approval before it reaches Mr. Wolf's desk.
Mr. Wolf's office said in a statement Tuesday morning that the governor "supports funding our state-related universities without caveats."
"The amendments adopted on the floor jeopardize important funding that supports tuition assistance, education and research at a world-class university," said Elizabeth Rementer, Mr. Wolf's press secretary, in a statement.
