Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
October 27, 2021
**Funding is particularly critical following the New Hampshire Executive Council’s recent vote to defund NH family planning providers**
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and U.S. Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) today applauded an announcement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that the Biden administration will make available $256,000,000 for Title X providers for fiscal year (FY) 2022. Title X funding is critical for New Hampshire family planning providers that have been decimated by the previous administration’s Title X Gag Rule, leaving seven of nine New Hampshire providers without access to Title X funding. Providers have until January 11, 2022 to apply.
This announcement is particularly crucial given the New Hampshire Executive Council’s recent vote to defund four family planning providers, three of which were already facing serious funding shortfalls because of the Title X Gag Rule. The restoration of Title X funding will help offset the consequences of the Executive Council’s vote, helping providers avoid further cuts to services and staving off higher costs for essential health care.
“This is welcome news for Granite State family planning providers that have been impacted by the Executive Council’s partisan decision that compromised access to care for New Hampshire women. It’s appalling that in the ‘Live Free or Die’ state, we’re experiencing an all-out assault on women’s bodies and personal health decisions,” said Senator Shaheen. “I urge all eligible providers to complete their applications swiftly, and I look forward to working in support of their requests to deliver the federal assistance they need. It’s shameful that we’re in a position where we need to circumvent the Republican-controlled governing bodies to secure this assistance because of the partisan obsession over controlling women’s health. I’ll continue to fight back against attacks on reproductive rights and in defense of a woman’s right to make her own health decisions.”
“Granite Staters deserve access to high-quality reproductive health care. Unfortunately, politicians in Concord have attacked and defunded women’s health services — jeopardizing the ability of our state’s family planning centers to provide reproductive health care,” said Senator Hassan. “I am glad that this fund has been announced that will provide desperately needed resources to family planning centers, and I will keep pushing the administration to direct critical resources to New Hampshire.”
“I’m proud to have worked with our New Hampshire delegation and the Biden administration to make this Title X funding available,” said Rep. Annie Kuster, founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence. “The COVID-19 pandemic has served as a stark reminder of how critical it is for every American to have access to quality, reliable health care. Title X supports millions of patients each year — allowing them to receive sexual and reproductive care, including cancer screenings, birth control, and HIV testing. Last month, I spoke with Assistant Secretary Rachel Levine about the importance of delivering this funding to New Hampshire, and I am pleased to see the Biden administration step up to the plate to support Title X providers in our state.”
“The Department of Health and Human Services’ announcement today that they will make substantial grant funding available to Title X providers is welcome news for New Hampshire,” said Rep. Chris Pappas. “Following the Executive Council’s decision to reject family planning contracts, our providers are in urgent need of additional support to continue to serve their patients. I’m glad the administration is heeding the call to make this funding available, and I’ll continue fighting in Congress to provide additional resources so Granite Staters can continue to access critical health services including birth control, annual exams, cancer screenings, and more.”
The grant notification is available here.
The delegation recently?sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)?to ask for its immediate approval of a rule change to reverse the Title X Gag Rule that eliminated federal funding for the majority of New Hampshire’s family planning centers. The administration heeded the delegation’s calls earlier this month. That followed the?delegation’s letter to the Biden administration?calling for the swift distribution of supplemental assistance directly to providers impacted by the Executive Council’s decision. In June, Senator?Shaheen?sent a letter?to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra urging him to provide support to New Hampshire family planning providers who will lose state funding under the New Hampshire budget.??
Following?the New Hampshire Executive Council’s recent vote?to terminate contracts for family planning providers across the state, the delegation?hosted a press event?with representatives from Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, Equality Health Center and?Lovering?Health Center to discuss the dangerous consequences. Shaheen recently?hosted a roundtable discussion?in Concord with representatives from Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and Equality Health Center to discuss the vote’s devastating impacts, including the potential for higher costs and cuts to essential health care services for 12,000 Granite Staters.
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