Planned Parenthood Emphasize Sununu’s Multipronged Attacks on Reproductive Health

CONCORD - Today, Chris Sununu - who recently signed an abortion ban and ultrasound mandate into law - announced his re-election campaign for Governor.

Statement from Kayla Montgomery, VP of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood NH Action Fund:

“We are at a crisis point - access to abortion is in jeopardy across our country. Despite continued public support for keeping abortion care safe and legal, Chris Sununu has doubled down on his efforts to restrict Granite Staters’ freedom and constitutional rights. From the Executive Council to the corner office, from defunding Planned Parenthood to signing New Hampshire’s first abortion ban in modern history, Chris Sununu has consistently chipped away at reproductive rights. It’s time to retire Sununu’s antiquated attacks on abortion access - not give him two more years to further restrict our reproductive freedom.”

BACKGROUND:

Sununu’s Attacks on Family Planning Funding:

In 2015, then Executive Councilor Chris Sununu cast the deciding vote to defund Planned Parenthood health centers in New Hampshire, jeopardizing access to family planning care for thousands of Granite Staters.
As Governor, Sununu vetoed a budget that provided critical stop-gap funding for family planning providers to protect against President Trump’s domestic gag rule. [Seacoast Online, 8/24/19]
As Governor, Sununu signed a budget that underfunded the Family Planning Program and silently watched his Republican colleagues gut that program by rejecting contracts with three reproductive health providers, including PPNNE.

Sununu’s Attacks on Abortion Access:

In 2016, when Sununu ran for governor in a contentious primary, he laid out steps he would take to restrict abortion access in NH once elected. He has accomplished many of these goals.
In 2020, Sununu vetoed the Reproductive Health Parity Act, which would have removed financial barriers for people seeking access to abortion.
On June 25, 2021, Sununu signed New Hampshire’s first abortion ban in modern history into law. Sununu’s abortion ban criminalizes doctors, requires forced ultrasounds for all people seeking abortion care, and fails to make exemptions for rape, incest, or fatal fetal diagnoses.

Sununu’s Attacks on Abortion Rights Through Judicial Nominations:

In 2018, Sununu put his full support behind Justice Kavanaugh. Because of his appointment to SCOTUS, it’s a very likely scenario that by this time next year, 26 states - which is the equivalent of 36 million, or half, of all women of reproductive age - will lose access to safe, legal abortion.

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Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund (PPNHAF) is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England in New Hampshire. The Action Fund engages in educational and electoral activity, including voter education, grassroots organizing, and legislative advocacy.