Ohio Sen. JD Vance (R), former President Trump’s vice president, did not say Sunday where patients would go for health exams, checkups and more if Planned Parenthood’s funding was eliminated.
During an appearance on Fox News Sunday, host Shannon Bream asked Vance where Planned Parenthood patients received various health services such as cancer screenings, birth control and other medications.
Vance, however, focused on government funding of abortion.
“We said we don’t want taxpayer money for abortions, and of course that was a bipartisan approach in this country for over 40 years until, frankly, Kamala Harris came along,” Vance responded.
The majority of Planned Parenthood’s federal funding comes from Medicaid reimbursements.
Vance noted Sunday that while Planned Parenthood does “a lot of things that a lot of young women, a lot of young families need,” he was adamant that he “does not believe in taxpayer funding of abortion.”
“That’s the policy, by the way, not just with the Republican Party, but even many Democrats who are pro-choice and want legal access to abortion will say, ‘We don’t think taxpayers should be funding this.’ this stuff.’ And again, that bipartisan consensus is something that President Trump is very supportive of,” Vance said.
Earlier this month, Vance recommended that a second Trump administration would again try to defund Planned Parenthood if it continued to provide late-term abortions.
Vance’s comments appeared to target late-term abortions, which are generally abortions performed in the third stage of pregnancy. However, such procedures are infrequent and almost always due to a medical emergency.
Additionally, the Hyde Amendment prohibits federal funds from being used for abortion services, although exceptions are made for rape, incest, and saving the life of the mother.
Jenny Lawson, executive director of Planned Parenthood Votes, said last week that defunding Planned Parenthood would deprive millions of people across the country of “vital, affordable care” and would affect non-abortion-related services such as “cancer screenings, birth control, STI testing, etc. “Would impact treatment and many other important reproductive health services.”
