Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Lois Frankel (FL-22) released the following statement after voting against the Republican-proposed Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations funding bill for Fiscal Year 2025. The bill makes extensive cuts to many essential programs and contains dangerous provisions that would restrict reproductive health care access, threaten Social Security benefits, and gut support for our public schools.

“While Democrats work to help families make ends meet, invest in our children, support our seniors, and protect reproductive freedom, Republicans’ proposed funding bill would gut public education, hamstring the delivery of Social Security benefits, and prevent women from accessing reproductive care in any way possible,” said Rep. Frankel. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to reach an agreement on a bill that uplifts all of our families.”

Specifically, the bill:

• Eliminates funding for Title X Family planning and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program;
• Blocks funding for Planned Parenthood health centers and access to abortion and reproductive health services;
• Cuts programs that support maternal and child health, including eliminating Healthy Start, a community-based federal program seeking to eliminate national disparities in infant mortality, perinatal outcomes, and women’s health;
• Cuts the Department of Education’s budget by 14 percent, jeopardizing 72,000 teacher jobs nationwide, including 4,000 in Florida;
• Takes away need-based financial aid for 46,700 students in Florida;
• Underfunds school-based mental health services grants;
• Slashes funding for the Social Security Administration’s operating budget, leading to the closure of Social Security field offices, extended wait times for retirement claims and customer service, and delays in disability claim decisions.

The bill passed out of committee by a vote of 31-25.

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