NARAL Pro-Choice America Calls on Senate to Reject Attacks on Birth Control

Washington, D.C. – Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, urged pro-choice Americans nationwide to call on their senators to defeat two anti-family-planning amendments, authored by Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), to the pending Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill. 

"Sen. Vitter's attacks on birth control smack of hypocrisy," Keenan said.  "On one hand, anti-choice politicians want to block women's access to contraception, which is the best way to reduce the need for abortion.  On the other hand, as Americans call on Congress to do something about the nation's health-care crisis, Sen. Vitter and his cronies are trying to deny even more Americans access to basic medical services.  The American people are fed up with this political posturing – and they want the Senate to reject this anti-choice hypocrisy."

One Vitter amendment would limit access to contraceptive services by disqualifying Planned Parenthood health clinics from participating in the Title X family-planning program. For many women, particularly those who do not qualify for Medicaid and those who have no health insurance, Title X clinics provide the only basic health care that they receive. This amendment is identical to the one the House rejected earlier this summer by a vote of 189-231, opposed by pro-choice and pro-life lawmakers alike.

The second Vitter amendment would make any health center that provides abortion services, under almost any circumstances, ineligible for any health funding in the bill. This amendment is yet another thinly veiled attack on family-planning services, since health centers that offer abortion care are also most likely to provide family-planning services through the Title X grant program.  This amendment could dismantle entire networks of well-respected health-care providers.

Contact:
Ted Miller, 202.973.3032