Kelly Ayotte’s War On Women’s Health

Kelly Ayotte tries to paint herself as pro-women, but her record demonstrates that this couldn’t be further form the truth. Senator Ayotte has worked tirelessly to undermine New Hampshire women’s access to reproductive health.

Planned Parenthood NH Impact

Planned Parenthood Of New Hampshire Served Nearly 13,000 Patients. In an op-ed for NH Business Review, Dr. Barry Smith wrote, “In New Hampshire alone, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England serves nearly 13,000 patients across New Hampshire and 42,000 patients across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont each year.” [NH Business Review, 9/4/15]

Ayotte Repeatedly Voted To Defund Planned Parenthood

Ayotte Voted To Defund Planned Parenthood At Least Six Times

2011: Ayotte Voted Twice To Eliminate Funding For Planned Parenthood

April 2011: Ayotte Voted For A Bill To Defund Planned Parenthood. In April 2011, Ayotte voted for prohibiting any funds appropriated in the recently-passed bill funding the government through the end of fiscal year 2011 from being made available to Planned Parenthood or any of its affiliates. The vote was on a continuing resolution that, according to the Congressional Research Service, “[d]irect[ed] the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make a correction in the enrollment of H.R. 1473 (Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011) to prohibit any funds under such Act from being made available to Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. or any affiliate of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.” That change would have been made prior to sending H.R. 1473 – which had already passed both the House and Senate – to the president. The Senate rejected the concurrent resolution by vote of 42 to 58. [Senate Vote 60, 4/14/11; CRS Summary, H Con Res 36, 4/14/11]

March 2011: Ayotte Voted For Eliminating FY2011 Federal Funding For Planned Parenthood. In March 2011, Ayotte voted for prohibiting any funds in the remainder of FY2011 from being used to fund Planned Parenthood. The provision was part of a continuing resolution to fund the federal government until the end of FY 2011 that, according to Congressional Quarterly, “would prohibit any funds in the bill from being made available to Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc. or its affiliates.” The bill was rejected by the Senate by a vote of 44 to 56. The bill number was later used as the vehicle for another piece of legislation. [Senate Vote 36, 3/9/11; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1; Congressional Quarterly, 3/1/11]

2011: Ayotte On A Vote To Defund Planned Parenthood, Community Health Centers: “Our Country Is In A Fiscal Crisis. Everyone Is Going To Have To Make Sacrifices.” According to the New Hampshire Union Leader, “Cutting off federal funds for Planned Parenthood and Title X aid to community health centers will harm thousands of New Hampshire women, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., said before an expected vote Tuesday.  […] U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., said in an e-mail response, ‘Our country is in a fiscal crisis. We are facing a $1.6 trillion deficit and over $14 trillion in debt. Everyone is going to have to make sacrifices, including many private organizations that have relied on federal resources.’” [New Hampshire Union Leader, 3/9/11]

2011: Ayotte Criticized A Federal Grant To Planned Parenthood Of Northern New England. According to the New Hampshire Union Leader, “The federal government on Tuesday announced a $1.02 million grant to Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, bypassing a June decision by the New Hampshire Executive Council to write Planned Parenthood out of the family-planning business in New Hampshire. The grant allows the three-state organization to continue offering federally funded family planning services in six New Hampshire communities — Manchester, Claremont, Derry, Exeter, Keene and West Lebanon. Such services include birth control and cancer screenings. Abortions, including medication-induced abortions, were never an issue because Title X money does not fund abortions, said Jennifer Frizzell, a senior advisor to Planned Parenthood Northern New England. […] But U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., said ‘New Hampshire’s Executive Council has spoken on this matter, and the (Obama) administration should respect the state’s right to make this decision.’” [New Hampshire Union Leader, 9/14/11]

2015: Ayotte Supported Efforts To Defund Planned Parenthood After Controversial Videos

The Hill: Ayotte Said She Did Not Support Taxpayer Funding For Planned Parenthood. According to The Hill, “Asked how Ayotte would vote on Monday, Liz Johnson, a spokeswoman for the senator, said Ayotte ‘doesn’t support using taxpayer dollars to fund a private organization that performs abortions and whose practices should be fully investigated in light of these disturbing videos.’ Ayotte is one of nine Republicans who hasn’t formally backed the legislation.” [The Hill, 7/31/15]

August 2015: Ayotte Voted To Defund Planned Parenthood

2015: Ayotte Voted For Defunding Planned Parenthood. In May 2015, Ayotte voted for barring all federal funding to Planned Parenthood. According to CNN, “The fight over funding for Planned Parenthood shifts to a must-pass government funding measure this fall after a procedural vote in the Senate on legislation that would have barred all federal funds for the group failed on Monday.”  The vote was on cloture the Motion to Proceed; the motion was rejected by a vote of 53 to 46. [Senate Vote 262, 8/3/15; CNN, 8/4/15]

• August 2015: Ayotte Statement On Her Vote To Defund Planned Parenthood: “‘I Do Not Support The Use Of Taxpayer Dollars To Fund A Private Organization That Performs Hundreds Of Thousands Of Abortions Each Year And Harvests Babies’ Body Parts.” According to a press release by the Office of New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte, “U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) today voted in favor of a procedural motion to advance legislation introduced by Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) that would redirect federal funding for Planned Parenthood to community health centers. She released the following statement: ‘I do not support the use of taxpayer dollars to fund a private organization that performs hundreds of thousands of abortions each year and harvests babies’ body parts, which is why I voted to redirect funding to community health centers that provide women’s health services such as cancer screenings, mammograms, and contraceptives.’” [Office of New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte, 8/3/15]

2016: Politifact Rated Hassan’s Comment That Ayotte Voted To Defund Planned Parenthood Six Times As Mostly True

Politifact Rated Hassan’s Comment That Kelly Ayotte “Voted To Defund Planned Parenthood” Six Times As Mostly True According to PolitiFact,“Hassan said Ayotte voted six times to defund Planned Parenthood. Ayotte has been a consistent critic of Planned Parenthood and has shown support for defunding the organization or opposition to continued funding in at least six votes. It’s worth noting that some were procedural votes and several were much larger bills that included a provision on Planned Parenthood funding. Hassan’s claim is accurate, but needs clarification. We rate her statement Mostly True.” [Politifact, 4/29/16]

Security At Women’s Health Clinics

2015: Ayotte Effectively Voted Against Stripping A Bill Of A Provision Defunding Planned Parenthood While Also Establishing A Fund To Provide Payments To Women’s Health Clinics For Security. In December 2015, Ayotte effectively voted against stripping a bill of a provision defunding Planned Parenthood while also establishing a fund to provide payments to women’s health clinics for security. According to Congressional Quarterly, the amendment would have “remove[d] the section that would block for one year federal funding to Planned Parenthood. It also would [have] establish[ed] a fund to make payments to women’s health clinics to provide services and to ensure safety of such clinics.” The underlying legislation was a substitute amendment repealing key provisions of the Affordable Care Act while also defunding Planned Parenthood. The vote was on a motion to table. The Senate agreed to the motion by a vote of 54 to 46. [Senate Vote 311, 12/3/15; Congressional Quarterly, 12/3/15; Congressional Quarterly, 12/3/15; Congressional Actions, S. Amdt. 2876; Congressional Actions, S. Amdt. 2874; Congressional Actions, H.R. 3762]

• November 27, 2015: Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood Attacked. According to the New York Times, “A gun battle erupted inside a Planned Parenthood center here on Friday when a man armed with an assault-style rifle opened fire and began shooting at officers as they rushed to the scene. The authorities reported that three people were killed, a police officer and two civilians, and nine were wounded before the suspect finally surrendered more than five hours after the first shots were fired. A police official in Colorado Springs identified the man in custody as Robert Lewis Dear.” [New York Times, 11/27/15]