Statement on Gov. Hochul’s Abortion Expansion Agenda

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Statement on Gov. Hochul’s Abortion Expansion Agenda

January 15, 2025

Following is a statement by Kristen Curran, director of government relations for the New York State Catholic Conference, on Governor Hochul’s abortion expansion agenda:

“While we were thrilled to see the Governor prioritize an expansion of the Empire State Child Tax Credit in her Executive Budget, a look at her entire proposal reveals a familiar disappointment.

“Despite acknowledging New Yorkers’ concerns about affordability, Governor Hochul will once again seek to funnel millions of dollars to the abortion industry while families struggle to put food on the table. The very first healthcare initiative in her budget outline is to ‘sustain the reproductive freedom and equity grant fund,’ which is little more than a slush fund for abortionists in the state. Since she assumed office, the Governor has unilaterally allocated $35 million to abortion providers, which primarily has benefited Planned Parenthood. Incredibly, that organization has been unable to sustain operations and has closed facilities, despite being handed enormous sums of money by the State of New York.

“That Governor Hochul would continue to pour resources into an entity that cannot manage funds while everyday New Yorkers struggle, is deeply disappointing. Women and families need compassionate solutions to lift the vulnerable out of poverty, truly address women’s health, support families, and provide babies and children with the resources they need to thrive. Governor Hochul notably has promoted policies that have made substantial positive progress in all of these areas, which we applaud. New Yorkers would be well served if she maintained that focus and didn’t redirect finite state resources to propping up failing Planned Parenthood clinics.”

The New York State Catholic Conference represents the Bishops of New York State in public policy matters.