By Kika Eller

Recently, the Susan G. Komen Foundation pulled their funding from Planned Parenthood. Komen said it was because Planned Parenthood was being investigated by Congress, but many assumed that it was because Komen didn’t want to fund Planned Parenthood’s abortion services. Komen has since said that Planned Parenthood can reapply for funding.

The services provided by Planned Parenthood are used for so many reasons all across the U.S. The fact that only three percent of the funds that are currently provided are spent on abortion is proof that there are many other services provided by Planned Parenthood. This organization also provides services that cover cancer screening and prevention, STD/STI testing, counseling, contraception and more.

Low-income communities need to be offered services to stay aware of their health status and have their basic needs met. I would like to point out that if the funding was taken away from Planned Parenthood, so many lives would be put at risk. Planned Parenthood is a place where people who have nowhere to go can turn just to see if they are healthy. Someone might need to get tested for STD’s but cannot afford it at a general doctor.

Personally, when my mom took back custody of me when I was 16, I lost the health care I had when I lived with my dad. Living with my mom, I had no coverage whatsoever and needed to stay healthy, protected, and safe. Planned Parenthood was the first place I went. They provided me with free birth control, condoms, counseling, and answered any questions I had.

But most importantly, they were trained professionals who knew what they were doing and give their clients a safe place to feel comfortable getting the services they needed. It made me feel so much better to know that even though I didn’t have health insurance, there was a place that would have my back. Without Planned Parenthood, my mom and I would have to pay out of pocket for the things I need, when we are already financially unstable and barely able to make each month’s rent.

Talking about sex may not be the most comfortable conversation for people, but it’s definitely something young people are talking about more than ever. Students of Wesleyan University created the “I Have Sex” video as their way to protest against the cuts that would target Planned Parenthood. The video shows young people holding a sign and admitting that they are sexually active and on birth control.

Planned Parenthood provides affordable forms of birth control and contraceptives, sex-ed programs, free cancer screenings, pap smears, gynecological exams, free STI and STD testing and other health services.

President Barack Obama released a federal budget proposal this week.  Here are some items relevant to young people.

Education:
Despite a proposed freeze on non-defense discretionary spending, President Obama's budget continues to fund programs like Race to the Top, and asks for $77.4 billion for education. Race to the Top is a fund for innovative educational reform. For FY 2012, the proposed funds will be awarded to individual school districts with the best plans for school reform, as opposed to states. This way, even if the state decides not to apply for the money, an individual district could still be eligible.

In addition, Obama would like to increase spending for public schools and maintain the Pell Grant fund at $5,550 per college student. But as a cost savings, the president's proposal limits the grants a student can receive in a year, making many students unable to get summer school aid if they receive a Pell Grant during the school year. The Federal Pell Grant Program provides need-based grants to low-income undergraduates and students applying to higher education programs.

Title X:
President Obama plans to allot $327 million to maintain funding for Title X, the Family Planning program.  According to the department of Health and Human Services, Title X is the only federal grant program dedicated to providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and related health services. The more controversial aspect of Title X provides access to contraceptive services, supplies and information, and especially to low-income families.

Planned Parenthood is an organization that provides family planning to low-income women, and currently receives $75 million from Title X.  Opponents don’t want that money funding abortions.  According to the New York Times, the House of Representatives has proposed cutting the entire Title X budget which would eliminate federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

By: Emily Beaver

Abortion has long been a hot political topic--and now it's becoming part of the health care debate. So what does abortion have to do with health care? Members of Congress are arguing about which health insurance plans should cover abortions.

When the House of Representatives passed its health care reform bill earlier this month, some Democrats persuaded House leaders to include a last-minute amendment that would ban some health care plans from covering abortions.The representatives who proposed the Stupak amendment, named after Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan, say they want to prohibit the federal government from spending money on abortion. The amendment would ban the Medicaid program from covering abortions and would prohibit anyone who receives a government subsidy to buy a plan that covers abortions in the health insurance exchange, except in the case of rape, incest or if a woman's life is in danger. Since the government already bans federal spending on abortions, supporters of the Stupak amendment say they are just maintaining the status quo for abortion policy.

How much does an abortion cost if you are paying out-of-pocket? Check out this Youth Radio video: