Senators: Support Family Planning
Hirono and Schatz of Hawaii are among 33 Senate Democrats seeking Trump’s support of access to birth control and family planning services.
Mazie Hirono’s office says that she and 32 Senate Democrats sent a letter recently to President-elect Donald Trump “urging him to oppose any efforts by Republicans to restrict federal funding from supporting Title X family planning centers.”
The letter reads in part:
“President-elect Trump, women across the country have reason to be deeply concerned about the impact your administration could have on their health, their access to care, and therefore their economic security. “We urge you to take clear position in favor of women’s health by supporting access to birth control and family planning services at Planned Parenthood and other Title X clinics nationwide.”
Hirono’s fellow Democrat from Hawaii, Brian Schatz, also signed the letter, as did Patty Murray (Washington), Tim Kaine (Virginia), Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts), Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Dianne Feinstein (California) and others.
The senators want the president-elect to implement the final Title X rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services on Dec. 14.
“This final rule reinforces existing protections in the Title X program to ensure no qualified health care provider, such as Planned Parenthood, is excluded from eligibility for federal funding,” according to Hirono’s office. ” The final Title X rule strengthens protections for women and LGBT individuals to ensure they can continue to access safe and affordable health care.”
