Kansas City Mayor Sly James signs letter to Congress supporting Planned Parenthood

Kansas City mayor Sly James was one of 106 mayors nationwide to sign onto a letter urging Congress not to defund Planned Parenthood.

The letter comes in response to a clause in the health care bill passed by House Republicans earlier this month that blocks for one year all Medicaid reimbursements to clinics that provide abortions.

“Defunding Planned Parenthood would have a devastating effect,” the letter says, “preventing millions of people with Medicaid coverage from accessing basic health care, including birth control and cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood health centers.”

Lawrence mayor Leslie Soden and St. Louis mayor Francis Slay also signed the letter, which was sent to the top Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate. Senate Republicans are considering their own health care reform bill.

This story was originally published May 12, 2017 at 12:41 PM with the headline "Kansas City Mayor Sly James signs letter to Congress supporting Planned Parenthood."