HARTFORD — The GOP-led Congress and President Trump have been making plans to block federal funding for Planned Parenthood if it continues to provide abortions, as part of the president’s plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
In Connecticut, Governor Dannel Malloy said he has a backup plan if the state loses that money. Malloy said he would propose that Connecticut taxpayers pay for the money that would be cut.
“Planned Parenthood saves lives and those who seek to defund them should be ashamed of themselves,” a spokesperson for Malloy told the Hartford Courant.
Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, which includes Connecticut and Rhode Island, would stand to lose more than $5 million in annual federal funding.
“This is for patients who rely on us. We’re often the only healthcare provider they’ll see all year,” said Judy Tabar, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England.
The Republican bill to replace the Affordable Care Act released just this week states that federal funding cannot be used for abortions other than in the case of rape, incest or to save the life of a mother.
Details of Malloy’s exact plan are not clear yet, but the state is already facing a budget deficit of $1.7 million.
