WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) released the following statement on Thursday after the U.S. Senate voted to allow states to withhold Title X funding – which covers services such as contraception, STD screenings and treatments, but cannot be used to cover abortions – from healthcare providers, such as Planned Parenthood, that provide abortion services. Murphy voted against the measure, which passed 51-50 in a tie-breaking vote by Vice President Pence. 

“I’m sick of these Republican attacks on women and their health care. Fifty-one people here in Washington just gave states the green light to take health care away from millions,” said Murphy. “Over 62,000 people in Connecticut rely on Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, our only Title X grantee, for life-saving care like breast exams, STI treatments, and HIV tests. If Senate Republicans think that no one should be eligible to get health care services from any institution that has anything to do with abortions or reproductive health care, then they might as well cut off funding to any hospital that has anything to do with health care.