Pearl Jam mentions El Paso in post about Planned Parenthood

Iconic alt-rock band Pearl Jam mentioned El Paso in a post related to International Women’s Day and plans to cut funding for Planned Parenthood.

“We’ve been wanting to do something to help since we heard about the defunding and closure of some of the more isolated clinics, like El Paso and Midland, that has resulted in women having to drive hundreds of miles for reproductive care. Planned Parenthood is being threatened with massive cuts and it’s more important than ever to show our support for one of our favorite organizations,” the band’s post states.

Texas is at leaset the sixth state where federal courts have kept Planned Parenthood eligible for Medicaid reimbursements for non-abortion services, although a bigger question remains over whether President Donald Trump will federally defund the organization.

Anti-abortion activists emboldened by a new Trump administration are looking for the federal government to cut off all federal funding to Planned Parenthood.

That would cut nearly $400 million in Medicaid money to the group and result in roughly 400,000 women losing access to care, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

In one of his first acts as president, Trump banned U.S. funding to international groups that perform abortions or even provide information about abortions.

Vice President Mike Pence strongly opposes abortion, citing his Catholic beliefs, and the newly confirmed health secretary, Tom Price, has supported cutting off taxpayer money to Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood says it provides cancer screenings, birth control access and other health services for nearly 11,000 low-income women at 30 clinics.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ARTICLE