Iowa Senate To Vote On Bill On Planned Parenthood Funding
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Senate is preparing to vote on a bill that would pass up millions in federal dollars in order to stop contributing a small amount of state funding toward Planned Parenthood.
The Senate debate Thursday could stretch for hours. Republicans who hold a majority will likely approve the bill, sending it to the GOP-led House. Gov. Terry Branstad, also a Republican, supports the measure.
The bill proposes Iowa give up nearly $3 million in Medicaid money to create a state-run family planning program that excludes funding for organizations that perform abortions. No family planning money now funds abortions.
Iowa contributes about $480,000 under the federal setup, so the bill shifts all expenses to the state. To offset that, Branstad proposes using separate federal funding that currently helps at-risk youth.
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