“The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is outraged that instead of focusing on keeping the government funded beyond April 28, the US Congress is instead choosing to once again focus on defunding abortion providers. Last week’s Senate vote to overturn a federal rule protecting health care access for more than 4 million people who obtain services from health centers supported by the Title X public family planning program, clarifying that state politicians cannot discriminate by denying funding to health centers for ideological reasons, is nothing more than a thinly veiled attack on Planned Parenthood. The fact that Vice President Pence was needed to cast a tie-breaking vote twice — first to move the bill to a vote, and then for the vote itself — exposes significant opposition to rolling back protections for women’s health, as demonstrated by last week’s failure to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

“Now that funding for health centers can be withheld for religious or ideological reasons, women could be denied the ability to make their own faith-informed decisions about her health care. Further, defunding health centers will fall hardest on people already experiencing barriers to care, disproportionately hurting women struggling to make ends meet, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, immigrant women, and young people. NCJW will continue to work with lawmakers to ensure every person has access to the comprehensive health care they need.”

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