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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Wendy Stark, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York
4:32:01
·
100 sec
Wendy Stark, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York (PPGNY), addressed the NYC City Council to request $2,500,000 in additional funding due to the critical state of sexual and reproductive healthcare access in the city. She emphasized the importance of maintaining accessible healthcare despite potential federal defunding efforts.
- Stark highlighted the existential threat to affordable sexual and reproductive healthcare in NYC, despite strong legal protections.
- She mentioned a recent federal reconciliation bill that includes provisions to defund Planned Parenthood's participation in Medicaid.
- PPGNY aims to provide healthcare regardless of immigration status, ability to pay, identity, or location.
Wendy Stark
4:32:01
Good afternoon, chair Brennan and chair Schulman, and, thank you and the rest of the council and speaker Adams for your support of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York.
4:32:11
I'm Wendy Stark, the President and CEO of PPGNY.
4:32:15
The council has been very generous in supporting a number of our programs historically, And this year we have an additional extraordinary ask in front of the council of $2,500,000 because we are at an existential crossroads around sexual and reproductive healthcare, accessible, affordable sexual and reproductive healthcare specifically in our city.
4:32:36
In the place where the right to abortion was born here in New York State and all of the legal protections we have statewide and specifically here in the city, those rights mean nothing without access, and the sexual and healthcare reproductive ecosystem is in deep danger of, is deeply imperiled in this moment.
4:32:59
The reconciliation bill that was passed by the house at the federal level last night includes a specific defunding provision for Planned Parenthood to be unable to participate in the Medicaid program, and the bill writ large seeks to destroy accessible healthcare throughout the country.
4:33:18
We are trying to make sure that sexual and reproductive healthcare is available to anyone who needs it regardless of immigration status, ability to pay, and whatever their identity or zip code is.
4:33:31
And Planned Parenthood of Greater New York is a critical part of the public health infrastructure in New York City that does that.
4:33:37
So in advance we hope that you'll support our ask and we appreciate all the historical support.
4:33:41
Thank you very much.