Women are Watching Tour

from the inbox:

Planned Parenthood Votes and Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania PAC (PP PA PAC) held a rally today in West Chester, Pennsylvania, as part of the Women are Watching bus tour, which is crisscrossing the country to educate voters about what’s at stake for women’s health in November and mobilize them to get out the vote.  Planned Parenthood Votes and PP PA PAC are Pennsylvania state-registered political committees.  The rally also marked the kickoff of PP PA PAC’s statewide political program this election cycle.

 

Gathering at the Historic Chester County Courthouse, more than 100 voters sent a clear message to candidates and politicians like Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, and Dan Truitt, who oppose policies that protect women’s health — women are watching and they vote.  This year, women will decide the outcome of elections across Pennsylvania and the country, and are watching very closely to ensure that they elect candidates who will protect access to women’s health care.

 

“Politicians who would defund Planned Parenthood — as Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have both pledged to do — would deny millions of women access to birth control and cancer screenings,” said Dayle Steinberg, of Planned Parenthood PA PAC.  “Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan clearly don’t understand that women and families will be directly hurt by their out-of-touch views.”

 

Efforts to eliminate access to birth control, cancer screenings, and basic preventive health services started in Congress 18 months ago.  Now we’re seeing cuts and attacks in states across the nation that put women’s health at risk — a preview of what Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan would do all across America.   

 

Both Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have long records of attacks on women’s health care, including Ryan’s vote to end funding for Planned Parenthood, their belief that Roe v. Wade should be overturned, and their efforts to dismantle Medicaid and repeal the Affordable Care Act.

 

Nearly three million patients come to Planned Parenthood health centers every year — not to make a political statement, but to get high-quality, affordable health care.  In Pennsylvania, Planned Parenthood saw more than 120,000 patients in 2011 and conducted more than 200,000 tests for sexually transmitted infections, 40,000 cervical cancer screenings, and 44,000 breast exams. 

 

These are basic economic issues for women and families, and supporting family planning is smart fiscal policy for the country.  Every dollar invested in family planning saves taxpayers nearly $4.

 

Just in the last 18 months of legislative session, Pennsylvania politicians voted 55 times to restrict access to women’s reproductive healthcare.  In the decade prior, there were 13 total votes.  The past year proves now more than ever that women have the responsibility to hold elected officials accountable for the relentless attacks on reproductive healthcare.  

 

“Pennsylvania voters support Planned Parenthood and the lifesaving services Planned Parenthood health centers provide to women in the Commonwealth every day.  It’s time our elected officials did, too,” said Sari Stevens, executive director of Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania PAC.  “We have a tremendous opportunity to educate women and drive them to the polls this election cycle. 

“Today marks the kickoff to 10 weeks of intense political activity to elect state candidates who represent the interests of Pennsylvania women and families,” Stevens added.