Planned Parenthood Supporters at a Rally in Portland Several Years Ago.

One of Numerous Signs at the NO KINGS DAY Rally in June Calling Out Collins for Doing Nothing to Stand up to Trump Authoriatism.

Earlier this week, the Republican Study Commitee, the conservative caucus of US House Republiclans, released its roadmap for the 2026 federal budget reconciliation package, including a proposal to make an unconstitutional “defunding” of Planned Parenthood permanent.

The announcement comes as politicians contnue to announce bids for statewide and Congressional offices, aiming to win voter approval in next November’s election.  It also comes months after Congress passed a reconcilitation bill, HR 1, or the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which included a provision barring Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers including Maine Family Planning from being reimbursed for nonabortion services like cancer screenings, birth control and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections provided to patients on Medicaid (MaineCare).  The provision was the only health care provision in the bill that took effect immediately and in practice means that patients on Medicaid can’t use their insurance to access care at their Planned Parenthood and other reproductie care providers.

Since HR 1 became law, 23 Planned Parenthood health centers around the country have permanently closed, leaving patients in need of affordable care in an already strained health care system with few options.

In Maine, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNE) has refused to pass on the harm of HR 1 to patients by continuing to provide care to patients insured by Medicaid (MaineCare) despite not receiving payment for those servoces. but maintaining this approach is not sustainable.  PPNNE and the rest of the state’s family planning care network deserve to be paid for the care they provide and will be advocating in Augusta this legislative session for ongoig state-level lsupport so they can be paid for services they provide just like other health care proviers.

“Let’s be clear:  Republicans in Congress are determined to eliminate access to abortion throughout the country.  That’s why they are laser focused on attacking Planned Parenthood.  They know this agenda is deeply unpopular among voters and we will do everything we can to make sure they know what is at stake this November — their access to essential health care.

Let’s not forget that this policy was made possible when a majority of extremist justices were placed on the highest court in the land and then those justices overturned Roe v. Wade.  This took away the constitutional rights we have depended upon for half a century and gave Republicans in Congress the green light to target Planned Parenthood.

Our lawmakers in Augusta have been an essential counterbalance to the extreme agenda coming from Washington, DC, but without a restoration of our federal rights, even Maine is at risk of losing protections.  Mainers will not forget the harm caused by H 1 and other attacks on their ability to access basic, essential health care.  November can’t come soon enough.”