Leading conservative advocacy groups have signed onto a letter that will press President Bush to reinstitute regulations that would strip federal funding for family planning groups if they refer patients to abortion doctors or share facilities with abortion providers.

The letter will be sent to the White House Tuesday.  

If Bush follows through on their demand, it will almost certainly create an uproar in the Democratic-controlled Congress.

Tom McClusky, vice president of government affairs at the Family Research Council, who is helping to organize the effort, said that nearly 80 conservative groups have signed onto the letter. Concerned Women for America and Eagle Forum, two other prominent conservative organizations, have joined the push, he said.

“We respectfully ask that you make the necessary changes to the Title X regulations so that U.S. taxpayer funds are not used to promote and facilitate abortion,” the groups wrote in the letter.

Title X provides nearly $300 million in federal funds to family planning groups such as Planned Parenthood.

Former President Ronald Reagan first issued regulations more than 20 years ago that prohibited family planning organizations from providing advice to help women obtain abortions. The Reagan-era regulations were upheld by the Supreme Court, but were then rescinded soon after former President Bill Clinton took office in 1993.

Conservative leaders say they are perplexed why Bush has not reversed Clinton’s decision during more than eight years in office.

They say that Bush could re-implement the regulations though a simple order that would go into effect after a brief public comment period.

By taking action in the remaining months of his administration, Bush could spare Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) a nasty fight with Democrats in Congress, said one conservative activist.

Conservatives acknowledge, however, that Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) or Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) would overturn the regulations immediately if either became president.  

Family planning groups argue there is a strict wall of separation between their family planning services and abortion services. But groups that oppose abortion rights claim those walls are often porous.

Conservative critics say that federal funds given to planning groups can pay for the infrastructure and overhead needs of abortion providers if they operate out of the same location.

A White House spokesman declined a request for comment.