The government almost shut down last week because lawmakers couldn’t agree on a new budget.
But what this proposaldoesn’tinclude also has people talking.
Spoiler alert: There’s no wall funding in the bill at all.
Andrew Harrer/Getty Images
These reimbursements pay for the care people on Medicaid receive at various health care providers.
Several outletshave hailed this as a “win” forPlanned Parenthoodand forwomen in general.
We should be mad the administration threatened to take that right away in the first place.
And we should be scared, because the truth is they still could.
But these numbers show that Planned Parenthood does so much more than that.
Plus, many Planned Parenthood patients come from areas where no other high-quality care is available.
In other words, defunding Planned Parenthood could mean taking away someone’s only health care provider.
Do you applaud the government every time you pick upbirth controlor buy a pack of condoms?
Do you commend every judge who puts a convictedrapistbehind bars?
Do you thank everyinsurance providerwho covers your gynecologist well-woman visits without a co-pay?
If we’re being honest, you might do all of these things, and thats fine.
The same is true of Planned Parenthoodand all the vital family planning services it provides.
It should be agiventhat Planned Parenthood is still standing.
Unfortunately, that’s not our reality.
This spending package expires at the end of September.
When that happens, legislators will draft a new one that reshapes our country’s budget.
Chances are Trump will take a stab at exercise more influence over that bill.
No, he didn’t get border wall funding orPlanned Parenthoodcuts into this spending package.
But he was also concerned about the government shutting down before he reached his 100th day in office.
Who’s to say he won’t try againand push even harder for these provisionsthe next time around?
To be fair, I can’t read Trump’s mind.
No one can make guarantees about what he’ll do next.
Feeling motivated to act?
There are plenty of ways to make your voice heard.
SELF’s resources onfinding activist opportunitiesandgetting involved in policy decisionsare great places to start.
Other organizations can help families in need accessaffordable childcare,job training, andmuch-needed foodandhousehold supplies.
Related:
You might also like: 7 Ways You Didn’t Know Obamacare Affected Your Daily Life
