Should Republicans enact their Affordable Care Act replacement, the American Health Care Act, it will strip away all federal funding for Planned Parenthood. By law, Planned Parenthood cannot use taxpayer funds for abortion. But some say that's not enough, and they want to strip federal funding from the organization simply because it provides abortions.
That’s worth about $500 million per year, and for Planned Parenthood, which provides a wide variety of health services and screenings at clinics across the country, it would be a major blow.
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CNN and other outlets are now reporting that President Donald Trump informally reached out to Planned Parenthood to offer a lifeline: Instead of giving up federal funding, Planned Parenthood could stop providing abortions (with exceptions for rape, incest, and a pregnancy that threatened the mother's life, exceptions that Trump has supported). Trump's statement on the offer reads in part: "There is an opportunity for organizations to continue the important work they do in support of women's health, while not providing abortion services."
Planned Parenthood, however, was not receptive to the deal and rejected the proposal. Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, tweeted: "Planned Parenthood is proud to provide abortion – a necessary service that's as vital to our mission as birth control or cancer screenings."
Planned Parenthood is proud to provide abortion—a necessary service that’s as vital to our mission as birth control or cancer screenings. https://t.co/TWGOcVjBJ4
— Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) March 6, 2017
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