Representatives from 43 States Demand Congress Protect Women's Health and Rights
For Immediate Release: Jan. 30, 2014
Planned Parenthood Congressional Day of Action Focuses On Prevention and Health Benefits
Washington, DC — Today representatives of Planned Parenthood affiliates across the country, including staff, board members, and volunteers, joined together in Washington, DC, to lobby members of the House of Representatives and the Senate in support of legislation that is crucial to the health of women and their families and to reproductive rights.
"Every day, Planned Parenthood works in communities across the country to meet the health care needs of women and their families," said PPFA President Cecile Richards. "We are here to make sure elected officials understand the importance of our health care concerns and to show support for reproductive rights and freedom here and abroad."
Planned Parenthood delegations lobbied senators and representatives from their districts. Senators were urged to co-sponsor the Freedom of Choice Act; to support the Akaka bill to repeal the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) documentation requirement, a bill that would make Medicaid more administratively burdensome by requiring all applicants and enrollees to produce additional citizenship documentation; and to oppose the "Lose Your Benefits Bill," otherwise known as the Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act, which would result in nullifying state laws that protect insurance benefits like access to contraception.
Representatives were asked to co-sponsor the Freedom of Choice Act; to co-sponsor and support the Christensen bill to repeal the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) documentation requirement; to co-sponsor and support the "Stop Deceptive Advertising in Women's Services" bill, aimed at preventing so-called "crisis pregnancy centers" from falsely advertising abortion services if they do not provide those services; and to support the Ensuring Access to Contraceptives Act of 2006.
"Our legislators heard directly from their constituents that we will not be silent about laws that slash health care benefits and endanger women's lives," added Richards. "Politicians from both parties heard from us on the need for increased access to prevention efforts, for affordable contraception, and for safeguards on reproductive rights."
Source
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Contact
Erin Libit, 202-973-4883
Andrea Hagelgans 646-369-8617
Published
March 30, 2006