Republican candidate for executive council shares misleading statements about abortion funding in NH

Joseph Kenney, a Republican candidate for executive council, made several inaccurate claims in his candidate questionnaire published this week. 

Kenney, who’s seeking re-election for District 1 (which comprises areas in Coos county to Strafford county, including the greater Seacoast cities and towns of Dover, Durham, Farmington, Madbury, Rochester, Rollinsford, and Somersworth) has previously blocked funding to Planned Parenthood several times (even though abortion care is a small segment of the services offered at the health clinic). He’s has also voted no to extend funding for sex education programs aimed at reducing teen pregnancies. 

According to a news release from Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund, there were several inaccuracies in Kenney’s responses—published in the Seacoast Online—that claimed family planning contracts in the state were funding abortions.  

Kenney says public money can’t go to clinics that offer abortions, and has used that reasoning to justify his vote to block funding to Planned Parenthood—but there’s no state law that says this. Over the past three years, New Hampshire’s Planned Parenthood health clinics have served 11,223 patients for 15,717 visits. 

He’s also pointed to the Hyde Amendment, which bans the use of federal dollars for abortion care except in certain cases like rape, incest and health of the mother, for why he does not supporting funding Planned Parenthood and other reproductive health clinics. But federal money for family planning services, which include things like cancer screenings and birth control, does not cover abortions.

Kenney also talks about a 2022 law that checks financial records to ensure no state money is used for abortions. But New Hampshire does not require clinics to separate abortion services from other health care.

Lastly, Kenney says funds indirectly support abortions by mixing with other services. However, the Department of Health and Human Services confirms that family planning money doesn’t pay for abortions.

“Kenney’s vote to block Planned Parenthood funding is not grounded in facts and threatens the health and well-being of New Hampshire residents,” a representative from PPNHAF said in the news release. “The financial reviews and guidelines that govern family planning funding are clear: these funds are not, and never have been, used for abortion services, and Kenney’s refusal to fund Planned Parenthood health centers puts critical public health services at risk.”

Planned Parenthood of Northern New England is already in dire straits, with an estimated financial deficit of $8.6 million over the next three years. 

The people most affected by this financial crisis will be low income folks, people of color, uninsured and underinsured people, women, LGBTQ+ folks, and people from out-of-state where abortion or gender-affirming care is banned. 58% of New Hampshire patients have low incomes, according to PPNNE data.

“Put simply, we are a safety net for patients who struggle the most, providing high-quality, affordable, and often free health care services,” Nicole Clegg, interim CEO of PPNNE, previously said in a news release.