Women Fight Back Against GOP Lawmakers Trying to Defund Planned Parenthood

A draft of the GOP’s proposed Obamacare replacement leaked to reporters last week. In addition to repealing Obama’s signature health care legislation, the proposed bill would strip Planned Parenthood of hundreds of millions of dollars in Medicaid reimbursements and eliminate tax credits from insurance providers who cover abortion.

To stand in solidarity with Planned Parenthood, women showed up in Washington D.C. to rally against the bill – and lobby lawmakers to protect funding.

The Fight to Defund Planned Parenthood

Republican lawmakers across the country have been fighting to defund Planned Parenthood, claiming that other Medicaid providers can step in to provide the same care for low-income women. But Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards told ThinkProgress the leaked bill would affect far more than just one organization.

“They’re trying to end access to reproductive health care in this country and they’re going to use every single way they can, which is why this fight isn’t about defunding Planned Parenthood,” she said. “It’s about ensuring that women in this country, many of whom come to us, can get access to the care that is their right.”

The leaked bill proposes that Congress impose a one-year ban on federal funds for Planned Parenthood, presumably setting the stage for another fight over the issue next year.