POLITICS | Thu Feb 2, 2017 | 7:31pm EST

Iowa moves to cut Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood

By Timothy Mclaughlin

The Republican-controlled Iowa state senate voted on Thursday to cut Medicaid funding for family planning services to abortion providers including Planned Parenthood.

State senators passed the bill 30-20, advancing it to the Republican-controlled House. The vote was along party lines, with one independent voting in favor of the measure.

Republican Governor Terry Branstad has said he supports the bill.

Planned Parenthood draws the ire of many Republicans because it provides abortions, and Republican President Donald Trump has pledged to defund the organization.

"This change will allow Iowa to restrict government funding to family planning services away from organizations that perform abortions that are not medically necessary," Republican Senator Amy Sinclair, one of the bill's sponsors, said on Thursday before the vote.

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