“CCR condemns Congress’ vote in favor of H.R. 217.  If enacted, this bill is guaranteed to have a devastating impact on public health.  Contrary to rightwing anti-choice rhetoric, Title X funding has never been employed to pay for abortions, but rather, supports a spectrum of medical services including preventative care like annual exams, cancer screenings, contraception, family planning consultations, and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections – for women and families who need and deserve these necessary services but cannot afford them.

 

By attacking Planned Parenthood and other community healthcare organizations, Congress has effectively voted to strip some of our most vulnerable communities of basic preventive and primary care services, birth control and reproductive care.

 

Access to healthcare is a human right and fundamental to a true democracy.  Denying healthcare to over three million people through this unscrupulous legislation clearly demonstrates an extreme right-wing agenda that targets the poorest and most vulnerable in our society. This move also shows how out of touch our representatives are with the vast numbers of Americans who fully support family planning and access to healthcare.

 

We urge members of the Senate to stand with families and Americans of conscience and protect Planned Parenthood and other low-income community healthcare providers from extinction.”