TRENTON — A Democrat who has gone to the mat with Republican Gov. Chris Christie over budget cuts to women's health centers today will examine the impact of the loss of funding. Christie cut $7.5 million from 58 women's health clinics in the current year's budget. Democrats led by Sen. Loretta Weinberg of Teaneck and Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri-Huttle of...
State Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) makes her pitch to override Gov. Chris Christie's veto of a women's health bill in this September 2010 file photo.TRENTON — A Democrat who has gone to the mat with Republican Gov. Chris Christie over budget cuts to women's health centers today will examine the impact of the loss of funding.
Christie cut $7.5 million from 58 women's health clinics in the current year's budget.
Democrats led by Sen. Loretta Weinberg of Teaneck and Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri-Huttle of Englewood tried but failed to reverse the cuts.
Weinberg and Vainieri-Huttle speculated Christie stood firm on the cuts to appease the anti-abortion wing of the Republican Party. Some of the family planning centers also performed abortions.
The administration has said low-cost women's health services are available elsewhere.
The legislators maintain the cuts hurt women who rely on clinics for cancer screenings and birth control.
Related coverage:
• Editorial: Women's health on the line
• State Sen. Weinberg says she will fight budget unless $1M for women's health is include
• Closing of Bayonne women's health clinic will trigger jobs shuffle
• Today in Trenton: Sen. Lautenberg protests for women's health funding, Gov. Christie takes questions