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Sununu, Hassan Continue To Spar Over Rejected Planned Parenthood Contract

NHPR Staff

Executive Councilor Chris Sununu says he’s still hoping to find alternative organizations that can provide women’s health care, after he voted to reject a contract with Planned Parenthood.

Sununu was among the three Republican councilors to vote against the $640,000 contract with Planned Parenthood of Northern New England.

In a letter to health department commissioner Nick Toumpas, Sununu said women shouldn’t be forced to receive health services from an organization immersed in scandal.

"I implored Governor Hassan to help find additional alternatives for women’s health care in New Hampshire," Sununu wrote. "Astonishingly, Governor Hassan refused to even consider this reasonable request and argued that more choice and alternatives in women’s health care would not help."

Proponents of the contract say Planned Parenthood of Northern New England doesn’t take part in the fetal tissue donation program that has been at the center of the national controversy.

The organization says losing the contract will significantly impact the services it provides to 12,000 Granite State women.

Gov. Maggie Hassan’s office says Planned Parenthood won an open and competitive bidding process for the contracts, and described Sununu’s vote as politically motivated.

Michael serves as NHPR's Program Director. Michael came to NHPR in 2012, working as the station's newscast producer/reporter. In 2015, he took on the role of Morning Edition producer. Michael worked for eight years at The Telegraph of Nashua, covering education and working as the metro editor.
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