Support Contraceptive Access
For Immediate Release: Jan. 30, 2014
Congress Urged to Support Contraceptive Access and Programs to Prevent Unintended Pregnancy; Planned Parenthood Applauds Sen. Clinton and Rep. Lowey for Women's Health Resolution
New York, NY — Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) applauded the important women's health resolution announced today by Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY). The resolution, which will be introduced in both the Senate and the House, affirms the importance of contraception and its critical role in helping women and families prevent unintended pregnancy and thereby reduce the need for abortion.
"This is about preventing unintended pregnancy, something all sides of the political spectrum should support," said PPFA President Cecile Richards. "With President Bush refusing to state his position on birth control, basic health care used by 98 percent of American women during their lifetimes, it is all the more important that Congress step up to the plate and support programs that promote the health of women and families. For nearly 90 years that has been Planned Parenthood's mission. Think how much more we could accomplish with the support of Congress."
The Clinton-Lowey resolution follows a recently released Guttmacher Institute report on abortion and other studies that have found that the number of unintended pregnancies is increasing among low-income women and that contraception is critical to reducing the numbers of unintended pregnancies and abortions. The resolution calls on Congress to support a national campaign to help women, regardless of income, avoid unintended pregnancy and abortion by supporting programs and policies that make it easier for women to obtain contraceptives and to use them correctly.
"It is clear that reducing unintended pregnancy needs to be a priority on the public policy agenda, and thanks to Sen. Clinton and Congresswoman Lowey, it will be," said Reina Schiffrin, president/CEO of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic, who spoke at the press conference announcing the resolution. "This resolution calls for support for critical, effective public health strategies ensuring access to affordable family planning and providing medically accurate information about the use of contraception to promote correct use."