By Ann Warner, special to Statehouse Report | “The main thing to remember is that South Carolina is winning,” Gov. Henry McMaster declared before he announced the removal of $16 million of family planning funding from the state budget.
Absolutely no one “wins” when women lose access to critical health services – not women, not families, and not our state. Suggesting otherwise is disrespectful to all women, and to low-income women in particular.
While the veto is cloaked in a moral judgment about abortion, the governor is well aware that these state dollars do not go toward abortion services.
First, these state dollars do not go toward abortion services. Family planning dollars support a wide range of services like annual exams, birth control, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, and lifesaving cancer screenings that help low-income people to manage their health and plan their families. These services are provided in a range of facilities.
Second of all, cutting off access to preventive health and contraceptive services will actually increase the number of abortions. About half of all pregnancies in South Carolina are unintended. If we want to reduce abortions in our state, we should increase access to family planning and contraceptive services, not remove funding entirely.
Increasing contraceptive access benefits everyone. When women have contraceptive access, they are healthier and they are able to pursue their educational and economic goals. When they are able to control the timing of pregnancies, they are more likely to have healthier pregnancies and more stable families. While unintended pregnancies actually cost our state, contraceptive access improves women’s access to the workforce and helps drive economic activity for the state.
Why would we be cutting off life-saving, health-promoting, and ultimately, cost-saving programs in our state, which consistently ranks at the bottom of the national heap on measures of health and economic well-being? Our resources are far better invested in supporting women to have full control over if, when, and under what circumstances they wish to parent.
While the governor’s vetoes went into effect immediately, the South Carolina General Assembly plans to return to vote on budget overrides in September. In order to successfully override this veto and restore family planning funding, both chambers must have two-thirds of each body’s support. Members of the House and Senate need to hear from their constituents. Hundreds of South Carolinians have already contacted their legislators and demanded lawmakers override this short-sighted, vindictive, and injurious budget cut. You can join the movement by clicking here.
The longer we wait, the longer women in our state will go without well-woman exams, cancer screenings and prescription refills. This is a health crisis in the making. You can influence your elected officials to take action immediately.
South Carolina will only be “winning” when we can ensure that all people have the information and services that they need to lead healthy lives and to live up to their full potential. Demand that your elected officials override this veto and contact your legislators today.
Ann Warner is CEO of WREN, the Women’s Rights & Empowerment Network based in Columbia.
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We Can Do Better, South Carolina!