In a vote of 53 to 46 yesterday, the US Senate voted to continue to fund Planned Parenthood (they provide $528 Million annually), an organization that provides health care to women who might not be able to afford it otherwise. Check out the above video in which Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) doesn’t hold back when asserting the importance of Planned Parenthood, and outlines how this attempt to de-fund isn’t an isolated incident, but rather “one more piece in a deliberate, methodical, orchestrated right-wing attack on women’s rights.”
Conservatives in Congress have been pushing to de-fund Planned Parenthood for years, focusing on the issue of abortion. However, abortions aren’t even allowed to be supported by Planned Parenthood’s federal funds anyway (which is why they also rely on donations). What’s more, only 3% of procedures done at Planned Parenthood are abortions. The rest are things like breast cancer screenings, birth control, pregnancy tests, and STI testing, not to mention pre-natal health care if a woman does decide to have a baby. De-funding Planned Parenthood would mean that millions of women wouldn’t have access to the health care they need.
Though this Senate bill failed this time, the House will be voting on de-funding Planned Parenthood when they return from their summer break, and the debate over this will likely continue as Congress discusses bills related to government funding for the next fiscal year. In fact, the debate over whether to fund Planned Parenthood may lead to a government shutdown, as several Republican senators and representatives, including several of the Republican candidates for President, would consider a shutdown worth it if it means that Planned Parenthood isn’t funded.
Until very recently, I couldn’t afford quality health care, and Planned Parenthood was often the best option for gynecological care. On behalf of lower-income women everywhere, particularly women of color who are often disproportionately affected by a horrible economy and job market, I’d like to thank staunch supporters like Sen. Warren for not backing down when fighting for women, and for not being afraid to call out certain political machinations for what they are – an attack on women’s rights.
(via The Daily Dot)
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