Trump To Planned Parenthood: Funding Stays, Abortion Goes

President Donald Trump has proposed a way to preserve federal payments to Planned Parenthood. However, it comes with a big catch -- abortion will have to go.

The New York Times reported that although never made formally, the proposal has already been rejected by officials at Planned Parenthood, which receives about $500 million annually in funding for women's health services, not for abortion services.

Dawn Laguens, executive vice president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said on Monday that federal funds to not pay for abortions. She emphasized that women health care is their top priority, saying that "Providing critical health care services for millions of American women is nonnegotiable."

Still, there had been an internal struggle in the White House regarding the Republican President's stance in satisfying his conservative base and the views of first daughter Ivanka Trump, who is an informal adviser to him. She took it upon herself to make women's issues her focus. In the early days of the campaign, Ms. Trump has been known to urge her father to tread carefully on the Planned Parenthood issue.

President Donald Trump, on the other hand, has emphasized his stance on being pro-life. He stated that he is committed to investing in women's health, especially in support of non-abortion services such as cancer screening. In a private discussion with those working closely with Planned Parenthood, it seems that the White House officials suggested an increase in federal funds as long as abortion-related works end.

This does not sit well for the organization. The proposal to stop abortion services takes away women's access to safe, legal abortion and is therefore an attack toward women who will lose their ability to access the full range of reproductive health care, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards said in a statement, according to The Hill.

Despite President Donald Trump's stance on the matter, more moderate GOP senators have already expressed concerns about the possible defunding of the women's health organization if the abortion issue cannot stand a compromise. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said that she will not support the repeal bill if it included abortion, while Sen. Susan Collins of Maine has not stated how she would vote, but did vote against a repeal bill in 2015 as it would have defunded Planned Parenthood.