Sununu's Republican Executive Council Defunds Family Planning Centers for the Fourth Time

CONCORD, NH — This morning, the Executive Council, on a 4-1 party line vote — with only Democratic Councilor Cinde Warmington opposed — voted to defund Planned Parenthood and several other family planning providers across the state for the fourth time. This vote comes after Republican Executive Councilors Gatsas, Wheeler, Stevens, and Kenney voted to defund these essential health care services three separate times over the past twelve months.

In response, NHDP spokesperson Monica Venzke released the following statement:

“Once again, Republican Executive Councilors have voted to take away access to quality, affordable reproductive health care for tens of thousands of Granite Staters. Councilors Gatsas, Wheeler, Stevens, and Kenney are threatening access to birth control, STI testing and treatment, cancer screenings, and other essential health care services that families all across New Hampshire rely on. Time and time again, Councilor Warmington continues to be the only champion for reproductive rights on the Executive Council.

This is Sununu’s handpicked Executive Council, and he is responsible for this outcome today. These Republican Councilors continue to use his abhorrent abortion ban as an excuse to defund cancer screenings and contraception. This decision comes as no surprise, but is devastating all the same.

We deserve representatives who are going to fight to protect critical health care services. This November, it is absolutely vital that we elect a Democratic majority to the Executive Council and Dr. Tom Sherman to the corner office. Reproductive freedom hangs in the balance. There is too much at stake not to.”