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Defunding Planned Parenthood could harm Iowa social program

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January 15th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s governor has proposed cutting funding for needy kids as part of his plan to defund Planned Parenthood. It’s a rare step even as Republican-dominated states grapple with whether to sacrifice federal dollars to lessen the organization’s influence. Iowa receives more than $3 million in federal Medicaid funding that it must spend on family planning services, and some of that is tied to Planned Parenthood.

According to budget projections reviewed by The Associated Press, Republican Gov. Terry Branstad has recommended taking $2.8 million previously given to child and family services so it can be redirected to create a roughly $3.3 million program that distributes family planning money to organizations that do not perform abortions.

Branstad is expected to resign soon to become the U.S. ambassador to China.