Protect Planned Parenthood Funding in Budget Reconciliation Bill

House Republicans have included a provision in their partisan budget reconciliation “megabill” that aims to block federal funding from going to Planned Parenthood and other clinics that provide access to abortion services. This long-time Republican goal would prohibit Medicaid from reimbursing these clinics for any of their services, essentially blocking all Medicaid recipients from accessing vital clinical care like cancer screenings, pap smears, birth control, and STI testing.

The argument for the need to defund Planned Parenthood is baseless at its foundation because the Hyde Amendment, passed as part of the budget every year since the 1970s, already bans federal money from going towards abortion services. Instead, defunding Planned Parenthood would devastate its regular health care operation. Without Planned Parenthood clinics, over 2.5 million women would lose a primary health care provider, most of whom are poor and already have limited access. The presence of Planned Parenthood clinics have also led to the overall decrease in the number of abortions by providing contraception. The Guttmacher Institute estimates that for every federal dollar spent on contraception, the government saves five dollars on pregnancy treatment. As a budgetary concern, maintaining funding for Planned Parenthood is actually better for the government’s bottom line.

The approval of this budget reconciliation megabill with its provision to defund Planned Parenthood would remove access to critical health care from those who need it most. Demand your representatives oppose this dehumanizing megabill and the Republicans’ attempts to deprive Americans of our health and wellness.