LOS ANGELES — Jody Hicks, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, told attendees at a Democratic leaders's event that recent congressional votes to withhold federal funding from Planned Parenthood would strip Medicaid patients of access to a range of services, and she urged Californians to protect reproductive rights.

"No federal funds go to abortion services," Hicks said, describing how congressional action would instead affect payment for other services at Planned Parenthood health centers. "They... will no longer pay for all of the services that we provide. So we are talking about STI and cancer screenings. We are talking about birth control. We're talking about sometimes prenatal care," she said.

Hicks said over 80% of Planned Parenthood California patients are covered by Medicaid and that the chain operates more than 100 health centers across the state. She described a recent constitutional amendment in California adopted by voters that enshrines reproductive freedom in the state constitution and said the congressional move amounted to an economic sanction on health centers serving vulnerable patients.

"If Republicans are successful in consolidating power, safeguarding their majority in Congress, a national abortion ban is not off the table," Hicks said, adding that California voters had already acted to protect reproductive freedom and should mobilize again.

California teachers, labor and union leaders who spoke at the event expressed solidarity. "We are ready to fight back," said Erica Jones, secretary-treasurer of the California Teachers Association, and Lorena Gonzalez, president of the California Federation of Labor, said labor unions had unanimously supported a response.

Next steps described by speakers included mobilizing voters and campaigning for state-level protections. Hicks and allied speakers called for Californians to support ballot and legislative efforts to defend reproductive services and access.