Res. No. 672-A
Resolution urging the United States House of Representatives to vote against H.R. 217, a bill that will restrict access to women's reproductive health services by severely restricting funding for family planning providers and the United States Senate to protect family planning funds and reject the total defunding of Planned Parenthood.
By Council Member Lappin and The Speaker (Council Member Quinn) and Council Members Brewer, Chin, Dickens, Dromm, Ferreras, Foster, Jackson, James, Koppell, Koslowitz, Lander, Mark-Viverito, Mealy, Mendez, Nelson, Palma, Garodnick, Crowley, Rose, Van Bramer and Sanders Jr.
Whereas, Title X of the Public Health Service Act regulations, which governs federal family planning funding has been an integral component of the national public health care system, providing high-quality family planning services and other preventative health care to low-income and uninsured individuals who may otherwise lack access to health care; and
Whereas, Title X funds provide subsidized family planning services, health education and referrals for other health and social services; and
Whereas, In New York City alone, more than 50,000 women per year depend on Planned Parenthood, a Title X funded entity, for high-quality healthcare services; and
Whereas, The New York State Legislature is already in the process of implementing tough budget cuts; and
Whereas, Any loss of federal healthcare funding on top of these cuts would have a particularly devastating impact on women's health in New York City and New York State; and
Whereas, More than 90 percent of the healthcare provided by Planned Parenthood each year is preventive, and every dollar invested in family planning saves $3.74 in Medicaid-related costs; and
Whereas, Current federal law prohibits Title X funds from being spent on abortion services; and
Whereas, H.R. 217 would expand existing restrictions on Title X funding to prohibit Title X funds from going to any entity that offers abortion services or provides funding to another entity that offers abortions; and
Whereas, This legislation would severely restrict women's ability to access high quality, affordable reproductive health care and would result in millions of women losing their primary and preventative health care; and
Whereas, The U.S. House of Representatives recently voted, as part of the federal budget process, to restrict Title X funding and eliminate all funding for Planned Parenthood, regardless of the source of funds; and
Whereas, Both H.R. 217 and actions to restrict family planning funds and services are anathema to quality healthcare and contrary to fiscal responsibility; now, therefore be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the United States House of Representatives to vote against H.R. 217, a bill that will restrict access to women's reproductive health services by severely restricting funding for family planning providers and the United States Senate to protect family planning funds and reject the total defunding of Planned Parenthood.
LCC
LS 2064
2/25/11