Infertility

Rep.

Bob Johnson, a Lee’s Summit Republican, offered an amendment that deleted Most of the money, he said, would go to county health departments serving women with no alternatives to obtain health care.

“If we don’t allow for contraception for low-income women, we will have more unplanned pregnancies and more pregnancies ended by abortion,” Johnson said.

“No one here wants more abortions.” He drew support from Rep.

Rob Schaaf, a St.

Joseph Republican and a family doctor.

Schaaf said contraceptives were a basic part of medical care and should be covered.

Johnson’s proposal was defeated 100-53, with nearly all Republicans and a handful of Democrats voting against the change.

The House then took up Phillips’ amendment.

Rep.

Melba Curls, a Kansas City Democrat, asked how Republicans could vote to block access to contraceptives after last year’s dramatic cuts in Medicaid and other social services.

“Not all the low-income women who will get pregnant will have abortions,” Curls said.

“If you have the baby, you’re still low-income.

And if...

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