A Better Future for Women Is Possible Without Planned Parenthood 

OPINION — This past week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill,” a funding package that includes the long-debated defunding of Planned Parenthood. While headlines swirl and fear-based rhetoric rises, it’s important that our community understands one thing clearly: women are not being abandoned—they’re being offered better options. 

The notion that Planned Parenthood is the only healthcare provider for women is simply false. In fact, there are over 12,000 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) across the United States that offer comprehensive, low-cost or free healthcare, including prenatal care, cancer screenings, and well-woman visits. These centers vastly outnumber Planned Parenthood clinics and serve women regardless of their ability to pay. 

In addition to FQHCs, pregnancy centers like ours offer compassionate, no-cost care and practical support to women facing unexpected pregnancies. Our mission is to walk alongside women, not profit from their fears. We offer pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, STI/STD testing and treatment, parenting education, material assistance, and referrals for medical and housing needs—all at no charge. This bill is not about restricting access to care—it’s about redirecting taxpayer dollars away from abortion providers and into healthcare providers that don’t rely on ending life as a business model. And it’s a call to action for local communities to step up and ensure that no woman ever feels alone in her pregnancy. 

Pregnancy Help Center is located at 2525 Sherwood Way, our doors are open, and we are ready to serve regardless of race/ethnicity, religion, creed, marital status, income, national origin, sex/gender, disability, age or any other arbitrary circumstance. We invite our neighbors, churches, medical professionals, and local leaders to stand with us. Together, we can build a community where women are supported, children are welcomed, and life is celebrated.

The columnist, Sandra Franke, is the Executive Director of the Pregnancy Help Center of Concho Valley