Opinion ID: 884154
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Federally Protected Right

Text: To properly state a claim for relief pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, Blackburn must allege, among other items, the presence of a federally protected right. Although § 1983 provides a remedy for violations of federal rights, it does not in itself create or provide a party with substantive rights. See, e.g., Albright v. Oliver (1994), 510 U.S. 266, 271, 114 S.Ct. 807, 811, 127 L.Ed.2d 114, 122, rehearing denied by 510 U.S. 1215, 114 S.Ct. 1340, 127 L.Ed.2d 688. In her amended complaint, Blackburn frequently refers to and alleges various violations of Title X of the Public Health Service. Act. For example, Blackburn alleges that defendants inappropriately used federal funds in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 300a-6 which provides in pertinent part that [n]one of the funds appropriated under this subchapter shall be used in programs where abortion is a method of family planning. We conclude, as did the District Court below, that those provisions of Title X of the Public Health Service Act upon which Blackburn relies do not confer upon her the substantive rights she claims. Accordingly, we hold Blackburn has failed to allege a violation of her substantive rights as necessary in an action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983.