Shaheen, Hassan & Pappas Join HHS Secretary Becerra for Meeting with Family Health Providers Amid State & Federal Attacks on Women's Reproductive Care

Press Release

U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representative Chris Pappas (NH-01) joined Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra in Manchester today for a meeting with New Hampshire family planning providers, including Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and Lovering Health Center, amid continued attacks from State and congressional Republicans on women's reproductive rights and care.

"As Republicans from Mississippi to New Hampshire wage an all-out assault on women's reproductive care, it is critical to stand up for women's health and provide federal support to ensure family planning providers like Planned Parenthood, Lovering Health Center and Equality Health Center can meet the urgent needs in our communities," said Senator Shaheen. "It's shameful that partisan politics are compromising women's access to safe and affordable health care -- something I never thought I would see in the "Live Free or Die' state. I appreciate Secretary Becerra's attention and time to hear from Granite State providers to better inform federal efforts available to compensate for the State's failures to support women throughout New Hampshire. I'll never back down on defending women's health from attacks in New Hampshire, Congress or anywhere else."

"No matter where they live or their economic status, Granite Staters deserve access to high-quality health care that enables them to stay healthy and to thrive," said Senator Hassan. "Family planning centers, including Planned Parenthood, are a major source of vital preventive and reproductive health care, and we must ensure that they have the resources they need to continue their important work. As partisan politicians in New Hampshire and across the country seek to undermine women's access to health care, I will continue working with the delegation and advocates across our state to protect women's reproductive freedom."

"I'm grateful to Secretary Beccera for coming to New Hampshire to discuss the importance of Title X and family planning services to Granite Staters," said Congressman Pappas. "The stories we heard today from providers and patients alike underscore the critical role that title X clinics play in the lives of people in New Hampshire seeking comprehensive reproductive health care. It could not be more important that we fight to protect the right to safe, legal, and accessible abortions and family planning services that have come under continued partisan attack across the country and here in New Hampshire. I remain committed to working alongside our federal delegation to ensure the needs of our state are met."

"The Biden-Harris administration understands that our nation's family planning clinics, such as Planned Parenthood, play a critical role in achieving the objectives the President laid out on Tuesday. This work is more critical than ever considering the status of Roe v. Wade and the attacks on abortion and gender-affirming care," said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.

"At this crisis moment for reproductive rights, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England was honored to welcome Secretary Becerra, Admiral Lavine, Senator Shaheen, Senator Hassan, and Congressman Pappas to our Manchester health center. We are grateful for the dedication and leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration and New Hampshire's Congressional Delegation, who work tirelessly to ensure continued access to the full range of reproductive health care - including safe, legal abortion and gender affirming care - no matter what," said Kayla Montgomery, Vice President of Public Affairs, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England.

In January, Shaheen and Hassan applauded a $500,000 Title X Dire Need Grant award through HHS for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE). The NH Congressional Delegation pushed for this funding, including writing a letter to HHS Secretary Becerra supporting PPNNE's application for this grant to ensure critical health services for thousands of Granite Staters aren't cut due to funding shortfalls. This grant will help offset funding losses that PPNNE, as well as other providers in New Hampshire, have suffered over the last few years -- both from the previous administration's Title X Gag Rule, which left the majority of New Hampshire family planning providers without access to Title X funding, as well as from the New Hampshire Executive Council's repeated votes to defund providers.

In response to the Executive Council's first vote to defund family planning providers, the NH Congressional Delegation hosted a press event in September with representatives from Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, Equality Health Center and Lovering Health Center to discuss the dangerous consequences of the extreme partisan decision. The press event 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. Shaheen recently authored an op-ed for Seacoast Online about what's at stake for women in New Hampshire and across the country as the U.S. Supreme Court considers Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, a case that could overturn Roe v. Wade.

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