Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., left, Sen. Maggie Hassan, R-N.H., right, and Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., background center, attend a groundbreaking ceremony for a $1.7 billion dry dock project at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021, in Kittery, Maine. King is recovering from COVID-19. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and U.S. Reps. Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) today applauded an announcement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that the Biden administration will make available $256,000,000 for Title X providers for fiscal year (FY) 2022. Title X funding is critical for New Hampshire family planning providers that have been decimated by the previous administration’s Title X Gag Rule, leaving seven of nine New Hampshire providers without access to Title X funding. Providers have until January 11, 2022 to apply.

This announcement is particularly crucial given the New Hampshire Executive Council’s recent vote to defund four family planning providers, three of which were already facing serious funding shortfalls because of the Title X Gag Rule. The restoration of Title X funding will help offset the consequences of the Executive Council’s vote, helping providers avoid further cuts to services and staving off higher costs for essential health care.

“This is welcome news for Granite State family planning providers that have been impacted by the Executive Council’s partisan decision that compromised access to care for New Hampshire women. It’s appalling that in the ‘Live Free or Die’ state, we’re experiencing an all-out assault on women’s bodies and personal health decisions,” said Senator Shaheen. “I urge all eligible providers to complete their applications swiftly, and I look forward to working in support of their requests to deliver the federal assistance they need. It’s shameful that we’re in a position where we need to circumvent the Republican-controlled governing bodies to secure this assistance because of the partisan obsession over controlling women’s health. I’ll continue to fight back against attacks on reproductive rights and in defense of a woman’s right to make her own health decisions.”

“Granite Staters deserve access to high-quality reproductive health care. Unfortunately, politicians in Concord have attacked and defunded women’s health services — jeopardizing the ability of our state’s family planning centers to provide reproductive health care,” said Senator Hassan. “I am glad that this fund has been announced that will provide desperately needed resources to family planning centers, and I will keep pushing the administration to direct critical resources to New Hampshire.”

“I’m proud to have worked with our New Hampshire delegation and the Biden administration to make this Title X funding available,” said Rep. Annie Kuster, founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence. “The COVID-19 pandemic has served as a stark reminder of how critical it is for every American to have access to quality, reliable health care. Title X supports millions of patients each year — allowing them to receive sexual and reproductive care, including cancer screenings, birth control, and HIV testing. Last month, I spoke with Assistant Secretary Rachel Levine about the importance of delivering this funding to New Hampshire, and I am pleased to see the Biden administration step up to the plate to support Title X providers in our state.”

“The Department of Health and Human Services’ announcement today that they will make substantial grant funding available to Title X providers is welcome news for New Hampshire,” said Rep. Chris Pappas. “Following the Executive Council’s decision to reject family planning contracts, our providers are in urgent need of additional support to continue to serve their patients. I’m glad the administration is heeding the call to make this funding available, and I’ll continue fighting in Congress to provide additional resources so Granite Staters can continue to access critical health services including birth control, annual exams, cancer screenings, and more.”

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