New York City could become the first city to directly fund abortions if the city council votes to approve $250,000 to be allocated to the New York Abortion Access Fund.
On Friday, Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Corey Johnson revealed a new budget agreement, of which would allocate $250,000 to the New York Abortion Access Fund for women who cannot afford an abortion.
De Blasio called the abortion funding a “step up” for the city, as the funding would make New York City the first city in America to fund abortion services.
“We understand that there are women who need help and are having trouble getting the help they need, and the city had an opportunity here to step up,” de Blasio said.
Carlina Rivera, the Democratic Councilwoman of Manhattan, pointed out that the initiative shows how New York City is the leader on the issue of abortion.
“This initiative not only makes New York the first city in the nation to directly fund abortion services but also lets any American who is facing increasing abortion restrictions in their home state know that they can come and get the services they need in the five boroughs,” Rivera said in a statement.
“This fund is just another signal, another example, of how New York State and New York City has to be that leader on this issue,” she added.
The New York Abortion Access Fund, which “supports anyone who is unable to pay fully for an abortion and is living in or traveling to New York State,” took to Facebook to celebrate the news.
There’s a lot of bad abortion news out there, so let’s start our weekend with some extremely good news,” the group wrote. “That makes NYC the first city in the country to directly fund abortions – and that’s something to celebrate!”
The New York State Right to Life spoke out against the action, urging citizens to speak up against the initiative and oppose it.
The group shared a link to the news on their Facebook group writing: “[New York] taxpayers sadly already pay for abortions through the Medicaid program (something NYSRTL has long sought to change), and indirectly through health insurance premiums (because of governor fiat).”
“Now, the abortion capital of the world, NYC may actually use city taxpayer monies for an enticement fund to come terminate your children. NYC citizens call your City Council members to stop this.”
