Today, the Chicago City Council Finance Committee voted 13-7 to give a $5.5 million subsidy for Presence Health to build its downtown headquarters despite concerns over the Catholic organization’s opposition to abortion and birth control. Our joint statement with Planned Parenthood of Illinois is below:

“At a time when reproductive health care is under attack, we should be working to expand access to the full range of women’s health in Chicago, not lessen it. Due to Presence Health’s policy to turn away patients seeking contraceptive services, we condemn any agreement to provide funding as it currently stands.

Women go to health care professionals expecting to get contraceptive counseling and access to what they need, not information that’s defined by somebody else’s religious beliefs. We applaud the seven Aldermen who voted no today: Aldermen Dowell, Hairston, Cardenas, Waguespack, Osterman, Reilly, and Arena.”