Madison, Wis. – Republican Leadership in Congress is targeting Planned Parenthood and trying to block patients from getting care in a “defund” bill that passed the U.S House of Representatives and is now awaiting action in the Senate. If they succeed, one-third of Planned Parenthood health centers across the country could close, including in Wisconsin.
If Republican Congressional Leadership shut down Planned Parenthood health centers, the entire Midwest will suffer. Over 50,000 women, people of color, rural communities, and people with low incomes depend on Planned Parenthood health centers in Wisconsin for care. If Planned Parenthood is “defunded,” Wisconsinites will lose access to birth control, wellness visits, STI tests, and cancer screenings. And people who depend on Wisconsin for abortion will have an even harder time accessing care.
Statement from Michelle Velasquez, Chief Strategy Officer, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin:
“It is shameful that these lawmakers are willing to sacrifice the health of people across the country because of their opposition to abortion. ‘Defunding’ Planned Parenthood would cost taxpayers nearly $300 million and would leave “tens of thousands of Wisconsinites without access to critical, lifesaving health care. Planned Parenthood health centers are an irreplaceable part of our health care system in Wisconsin. Each year PPWI serves over 50,000 people in Wisconsin, and without Planned Parenthood health centers, many patients would have nowhere to turn for care.”
Statement from Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO, Planned Parenthood Action Fund:
“Congressional Republicans want to ‘defund’ Planned Parenthood because some Planned Parenthood health centers, where legal, provide abortion care. The consequences will be catastrophic. If Congress passes its reconciliation bill as written, an estimated 200 Planned Parenthood health centers could close, leaving entire communities and regions without access to essential health care. Cancers will go undetected, birth control will be harder to get, and the public health infrastructure — already pushed to the brink — will break down. Instead of actually helping their constituents, politicians want to stop them from getting care at Planned Parenthood health centers and impose their beliefs on everyone else.
The Facts:
- “Defunding” Planned Parenthood is unpopular. 73% oppose a congressional defund, including 55% of Trump voters.
- Every year, Planned Parenthood health centers provide 9 million services to more than 2 million patients, including STI testing and treatments, Pap tests, breast exams, birth control, HPV vaccines, and more.
- At least 55% of Planned Parenthood patients rely on federally funded programs to get care at Planned Parenthood. If Planned Parenthood is defunded by Congress, many patients won’t be able to get care at Planned Parenthood health centers — and as recent reports show, these patients can’t be absorbed by other health care providers. Most will have nowhere else to go for care.
- Defunding Planned Parenthood will cost taxpayers nearly $300 million.
- No other provider can step in and replace Planned Parenthood for the patients that will lose care, according to new Guttmacher Institute research.
