Family-planning cuts irks activists

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama's removal of family-planning money from his proposed economic stimulus plan was a "betrayal," a pro-choice activist said.

Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Cecile Richards said she was stunned by his decision, writing in an e-mail that she considered it a "betrayal of millions of low-income women."

National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association President Mary Jane Gallagher said she was "devastated" by the decision.

Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs told the Politico the president still "believed that the policy of increased funding for family planning was the right one. He (just) didn't believe that this bill was the vehicle to make that happen."

Republicans had ridiculed the funding as having nothing to do with economic stimulus -- although the Congressional Budget Office estimated the provision would actually save the government $200 million over five years by reducing pregnancy and postnatal-care expenses.

National Organization for Women President Kim Gandy said Democratic lawmakers told her the money would be restored in another way.

They said the funding "would pass Congress rather easily as a standalone measure and didn't think was worth fighting for in the stimulus (package)," she told Politico.