Defunding Planned Parenthood could harm Iowa social program
DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa’s governor has proposed cutting funding for needy kids as part of his plan to defund Planned Parenthood, a rare step even as Republican-dominated states grapple with whether to sacrifice federal dollars in order to lessen the organization’s influence.
According to budget projections reviewed by The Associated Press, Gov. Terry Branstad has recommended taking $2.8 million previously given to child and family services so it can be redirected to create a roughly $3.3 million program that distributes family planning money to organizations that do not perform abortions.
None of Iowa’s family planning money is used to fund abortions, and the state’s funding for Planned Parenthood goes to other women’s health services such as birth control counselling and health exams.
Iowa receives more than $3 million in federal Medicaid funding that it must spend on family planning services, and some of that is tied to Planned Parenthood.