Wyden blasts new bid to de-fund Planned Parenthood

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., on Wednesday blasted the fast tracking of a bill that would block federal funding to Planned Parenthood clinics in Oregon and across the country for one year.

The Senate Tuesday night began considering a House-passed budget bill that includes a provision to cut federal funding for Medicaid for use at Planned Parenthood clinics.

“Millions of American women – including tens of thousands of Oregonians – turn to Planned Parenthood for the routine health care services this bill puts at risk,” Wyden said. “When you wipe out Planned Parenthood’s funding, you dramatically curb women’s access to services that have absolutely nothing to do with abortion.”

Wyden, along with Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., introduced an amendment to the bill that would continue to allow funding for Planned Parenthood.

The amendment would also provide additional funding to help women who are uninsured or underinsured pay for health services and for health clinics to ensure the safety of their staff and patients.

The senator said Planned Parenthood provides critical health care services such as cancer screenings, sexually transmitted infection tests and treatment, and HPV vaccinations to more than 70,000 Oregonians at 11 Planned Parenthood centers in Oregon.