NARAL Calls on Gov. Scott to Stand Up for Women and Families and Veto Anti-Choice Budget Provision

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 11, 2017

Governor’s Signature Would Allocate a Whopping $4 Million to Deceptive Anti-Choice Organizations

NARAL Pro-Choice America today called on Gov. Rick Scott (R-FL) to oppose provisions in a recently passed appropriations bill that will fund anti-choice organizations that have used deceptive and high-pressure tactics to mislead women about their reproductive health care options. The funding provision, which was tucked into the annual spending bill passed by both chambers this week, would allocate $4 million in funding to so-called “crisis pregnancy centers” (CPCs)—anti-choice organizations that have been known to target women in order to prevent them from choosing to have an abortion. In response, NARAL outlined its concerns in a letter to Gov. Scott and called on him to stand up for Florida families by vetoing the dangerous provision.

“It’s time for Gov. Scott to stand up for  the women and families he represents,” said Joel Foster, NARAL Pro-Choice America national political director. “Time and again Gov. Scott has put his fringe ideology ahead of the concerns of women across the state. At a time when families want leaders to focus on bringing in good-paying jobs and improving education, Gov. Scott seems more focused on pandering to a fringe element of his political base. These aren’t the priorities of hardworking Florida families and it’s time for the governor to do better.”

So-called “crisis pregnancy centers” (CPCs) are fake clinics that lie, shame, and intentionally mislead women about their health options in order to block them from accessing the full range of reproductive health-care options, including abortion. NARAL recently conducted a nationwide study that documented how these anti-choice groups deliberately target and misinform women about their reproductive health options. If Gov. Scott signs the bill as-is, this will be the second year he has sought to divert taxpayer money to these anti-choice organizations

To read the letter sent to Gov. Rick Scott, click here.

NARAL Pro-Choice America and its network of state affiliates are dedicated to protecting and expanding reproductive freedom for all Americans. NARAL works to guarantee that every woman has the right to make personal decisions regarding the full range of reproductive choices, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion. In recognition of its work defending our constitutional right to choose, Fortune Magazine described NARAL as “one of the top 10 advocacy groups in America.”

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