SYRACUSE -- Supporters of Planned Parenthood have wrapped up a rally in front of the Federal Building in Syracuse, speaking out against cuts made last week in the House of Representatives.
The House voted to prevent Planned Parenthood from getting federal money. Planned Parenthood says the cuts would impact family planning services, as well as cancer screenings and birth control. The organization says millions of women would be impacted.
One of the Planned Parenthood supporters, Anastasia Balch, says she gets her birth control through Planned Parenthood. She says, "I feel it would be tragic if it was cut because I know a lot of people who use it regularly. It's not just the poor people who use it, it's the uninsured."
Planned Parenthood also provides abortions.
Congresswoman Ann Marie Buerkle, a Republican who represents the 25th Congressional District, voted in favor of the cuts. While she is anti-abortion, she says this is not about that issue, but rather getting government spending under control. She says she made cuts across the board. "This isn't a debate about abortion," she says, "It's a debate about the federal government getting spending under control. Planned Parenthood wasn't singled out. Many many, hundreds of agencies were affected by the cuts."
In addition to Planned Parenthood supporters, there were also people outside the Federal Building who say abortion is a moral issue, and federal tax dollar should not go towards funding abortion. Planned Parenthood says federal funding is not used for abortions, but state money is through Medicaid.
While the cuts passed the Republican-led House, they still have to go to the Democrat-led Senate.
