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Planned Parenthood Action Fund
The Planned Parenthood Action Fund is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
The Action Fund engages in educational and electoral activity, including legislative advocacy, voter education, and grassroots organizing. The Planned Parenthood Action Fund Political Action Committee (Planned Parenthood Federal PAC) is a non-partisan political action committee committed to supporting pro-choice, pro-family planning candidates for federal office.
Blog Posts from Planned Parenthood Action Fund
VIDEO: At the Supreme Court: Women Rally to Support Obamacare
Check out this new video from the Coalition to Protect Women's Health on the women's health rally outside the Supreme Court last Tuesday - it has some inspiring testimonials and really captures the energy that was there that day.
Planned Parenthood Under Attack in Ohio
New legislation could leave Ohio's 32 Planned Parenthood clinics without funding.
Planned Parenthood's funding is being threatened by legislation proposed by the Republican led legislature of Ohio.
Planned Parenthood is likely being targeted because they provide abortion services. Last year in Ohio, they recieved $1.7 million in public funding and were able to provide care for over 100,000 patients; none of the public money was used for abortions.
The $1.7 million was allocated towards the plethora of other low cost services Planned Parenthood provides, ranging from preventative cancer screenings, contraceptives, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. If the bill does pass, unfortunately for the people that rely on their services, higher costs and extensive waits for services are likely.
The bill passed in the House, but is currently stalled in the Senate.
Read more here.
Thank you!
Thank you to everyone who joined us at the 2012 State Summit this week -- we hope you found the panels helpful.
Virginia Board of Health Passes New Restrictions on Abortion Clinics
On Thursday September 15th, the Virginia Board of Health passed new regulations for the twenty-three abortion clinics within the state. The new measures impose regulations on the clinic itself, including rules about ceiling height, hallway width, size of operating tables, and number of parking spaces. Proponents of the plan deem it necessary for safety reasons, but the majority of abortions performed in Virginia clinics occur during the first trimester. First trimester abortions are extremely safe and rarely present complications.
These regulations are expensive and threaten to close many of the clinics. The Family Foundation, a group of anti-abortion advocates, celebrates these potential closures as a pro-life victory. The organization issued a public statement; “Virginia’s abortion centers now face the choice of either spending their profits on meetings standards or no longer doing abortions at their facilities”. Meanwhile, thousands of Virginia women, including many low-income women and minority women, confront the real threat of losing reliable providers.
The Virginia regulations are the newest anti-abortion laws in a string of state-level legislation passed since the 2010 elections. Earlier in the year, Kansas also began regulating abortion clinics, while Utah and Nebraska restricted the abilities of private insurers to cover abortions. South Dakota proposed some of the most radical legislation, introducing a bill that includes harm to a fetus under the umbrella of “justifiable homicide”, which opens the door to legally protected murder of abortion providers. The bill ultimately did not pass, but South Dakota did implement a law that requires women to undergo a three-day waiting period before receiving an abortion. Backed by the new Republican majorities in many state legislatures, restrictions on abortion are becoming increasing common.
Women to recieve preventative services at no additional cost
The Department of Health and Human Services just gave word that now under the Affordable Care Act women will be able to recieve preventative care without being charged a co-payment, co-insurance or a deductible starting in August of 2012.
The preventative services included under the act after recommendations from the Institute of Medicine include:
- well-woman visits;
- screening for gestational diabetes;
- human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing for women 30 years and older;
- sexually-transmitted infection counseling;
- human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening and counseling;
- FDA-approved contraception methods and contraceptive counseling;
- breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling; and
- domestic violence screening and counseling
“The Affordable Care Act helps stop health problems before they start,” said
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “These historic guidelines are based on
science and existing literature and will help ensure women get the preventive
health benefits they need.” This is a big step forward in the Obama Administration’s broader effort to address the health and well-being of
our communities. Read the press release regarding this new coverage here.
Realties that Anti-Choicers don't realize
Here is a great post about 10 realities about abortion that people who are anti-choice do not realize. Education on the matter provides the best means of preventing unintended pregnancies and helping women make the educated choices if abortion does need to be considered. The reality of abortion does not have to be as scary and demonized as some people make it out to be.
IOM recommends no cost sharing birth control
In a report out this week from the Institute of Medicine, "it has recommended all FDA-approved birth control methods and emergency contraception be covered by insurance companies with no cost-sharing." Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, has said that the department is reviewing the recommendations and should reach a decision on whether this extension of coverage should be required by August 1st.
Despite the effects this type of coverage would have on reducing unintended pregnancies, and in turn saving some government spending (unintended pregnancies cost taxpayers around $11 billion every year), pro-life advocates are against this type of coverage being rolled up into their health insurance policies. Those who oppose artificial birth control say there should be an option to opt-out of coverage that includes emergency contraceptives that have "chemically abortive properties." Emergency contraception does not cause abortion, but rather prevents fertilization in the first place said Dr. Vanessa Cullins, vice president for medical affairs at Planned Parenthood.
According to a national poll out this past May, 88% of voters support women's access to contraception, and adopting the Institute of Medicine's recommendations into insurance coverage would help those women achieve easier access to those services.
Another state takes negative action against Planned Parenthood
Yet another state has taken action to impede Planned Parenthood from helping women obtain contraception and education on reproductive matters. In New Hampshire, the state's executive council rejected renewing a contract with Planned Parenthood with a 3-2 vote that will cut $1.8 million in funding.
These cuts have forced Planned Parenthood to start turning away women who can't afford contraception anywhere else, affecting an average of 120 low-income women every day. Cuts like these are just another push in a stream of anti-abortion attacks against the organization which by federal law would not use any government money to fund abortions.
"The Planned Parenthood contract, which accounts for about 20 percent of its annual New Hampshire budget, would have paid for education, distributing contraception, and the testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections. The organization's abortion practice is paid for by private donations, Trombley said, with audits ensuring no public money is used."
Last year alone in New Hampshire, Planned Parenthood provided contraception for 13,242 patients, performed 6,112 breast exams and 18,858 tests for sexually transmitted diseases. The organization also employs about 80 people in the state of New Hampshire, and with these cuts their jobs may be on the line along with patient care.
Ohio passes more anti-choice bills
On Tuesday this week, the Ohio House of Representatives passed a package of anti-choice bills that, if passed through the Senate, will further infringe on women's rights in Ohio. The most controversial of the three bills is the one referred to as the "Heartbeat Bill," which would make it illegal to have an abortion after there is a detectable heartbeat from the fetus, which can be found as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.
One of the other bills instead draws the line for abortions at around 20 weeks or when the fetus is deemed viable outside of the womb. The last bill "excludes abortion coverage from the state insurance exchange created by the federal health care law."
All three of these bills will encroach upon women's rights, but pro-life organizations saw them as a huge victory. However, the "Heartbeat bill" may be considered unconstitutional if enacted and will most likely be taken to court since it likely violates the previous decision of Roe vs. Wade.
Wisconsin budget cuts leaves no room for Planned Parenthood
Yesterday afternoon, Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin signed a two-year $66 billion budget which is going to lead to cuts in many areas such as education, health care and programs for low-income families. A big part of these cuts is also pulling all of the funding from Planned Parenthood across the state. It also
In an attempt to send an anti-abortion message to the state of Wisconsin, Walker will now be denying health care to 12,000 women in the form of birth control, STD testing, cancer screening and annual exams. Think Progress pointed out that "because Planned Parenthood is already barred from receiving federal funds for abortion services, Wisconsin lawmakers did nothing to advance an 'anti-abortion' agenda. Instead, they succeeded only in dismantling access to essential reproductive health care such as birth control, cancer screenings and HIV and STD testing for tens of thousands of women who rely on Planned Parenthood." Wisconsin will be the fourth state to pull the rug out from Planned Parenthood because of conservative groups targeting of abortion services, which in reality only makes up a small percentage of what Planned Parenthood does for women.
Health care for low-income families on the chopping block
Governor Rick Scott of Florida has made health services for low income women and families, such as prenatal care and family planning services, some of the items on the chopping block in respone to issues with the budget as the state tryies to cut down on state spending. However, while he's cutting these funds, controversial crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) have not lost any of its $2 million funding since 2005.
These crisis pregnancy centers are primarily religious centers that aim to convince women not to have an abortion if they are facing that decision. Some have even been found to give inaccurate information about abortions and health care. The main focus at these centers is counseling rather than actual health care services, so instead of focusing funds on programs that do provide these services, Governor Scott is eliminating women's options for health care.
Many other states are dealing with the prospect of cutting funding for programs such as Planned Parenthood, which actually provides many services beyond abortions, and either putting the money towards programs like these crisis pregnancy centers or risking losing more money from the federal government. Indiana just passed a law to cut funding from Planned Parenthood and is now risking losing up to $4.3 billion for Medicaid. While the money for Medicaid hasn't been cut yet, the Obama administration has directed the state to drop its ban on Planned Parenthood; for now it remains a game of chicken with health care for low income families hanging in the balance.
Abortion Legislation and Lawmaker's Commentary
When Kansas state Representative Pete DeGraaf made comments about his recently-passed law requiring women to hold a separate insurance policy for abortions in case they ever are raped as appropriate measures to "plan ahead," women were not as angered as CNN Opinion writer LZ Granderson felt they should be. The fact is that there have been other similar comments made by lawmakers trivializing rape and the effects it can have on women and there has not been enough pushback against these comments.
Not only is Representative DeGraaf comparing his new policy toward abortion to holding life insurance or carrying a spare tire, but Idaho State Representative Brent Crane went as far as to say that rape, "is the hand of the Almighty at work." Furthermore, Tea Party member Sharron Angle of Nevada said that women who become pregnant through rape or incest and don't have an abortion are taking a "lemon situation and making lemonade."
People with these views are shaping policy regarding everyday women's rights and only those women can make the moves toward preventing these policies by not voting for candidates who play down issues such as rape. It is all a matter of increased awareness and participation so we don't have to hear any more silly clichés or metaphors made about serious issues that women, no matter what their political affiliation, should care about.
Planned Parenthood Serves Broad Function
The Washington Post has a good piece today about the attack on Planned Parenthood by conservatives.
PA America Votes Partners in the News:
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Hundreds rally in solidarity with Wisconsin workers Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"We are here to stand in solidarity with Wisconsin workers and American families everywhere," said Michael Morrill of Keystone Progress, the advocacy group that organized the rally. "Right now the American dream is slipping away for millions of us, and we're here today to say enough is enough. It's time for our government to work for us, and not just corporations and millionaires" …
The Phlog: Don't Sneeze On My Cheesesteak…Rally Philadelphia Weekly More than 60 demonstrators rallied outside of City Hall today and flooded the building in support of paid sick days. About 210,000 workers in Philadelphia receive no paid sick days, according to Action United …
Planned Parenthood May See Elimination Of Federal Funding Haverford-Havertown Patch Congressman Pat Meehan (R-7th Dist.) voted to eliminate the federal funding. Patch did reach out to Meehan seeking a comment but unfortunately, he was unavailable by press time. Maggie Groff, vice president of external affairs for the Southeastern Pennsylvania division of Planned Parenthood, said it’s clear the organization is being targeted because it is well known and it provides abortion services. However, no federal money is spent on abortion services ...
Hundreds rally in solidarity with Wisconsin workers Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"We are here to stand in solidarity with Wisconsin workers and American families everywhere," said Michael Morrill of Keystone Progress, the advocacy group that organized the rally. "Right now the American dream is slipping away for millions of us, and we're here today to say enough is enough. It's time for our government to work for us, and not just corporations and millionaires" …
The Phlog: Don't Sneeze On My Cheesesteak…Rally Philadelphia Weekly More than 60 demonstrators rallied outside of City Hall today and flooded the building in support of paid sick days. About 210,000 workers in Philadelphia receive no paid sick days, according to Action United …
Planned Parenthood May See Elimination Of Federal Funding Haverford-Havertown Patch Congressman Pat Meehan (R-7th Dist.) voted to eliminate the federal funding. Patch did reach out to Meehan seeking a comment but unfortunately, he was unavailable by press time. Maggie Groff, vice president of external affairs for the Southeastern Pennsylvania division of Planned Parenthood, said it’s clear the organization is being targeted because it is well known and it provides abortion services. However, no federal money is spent on abortion services ...
PA America Votes Partners in the News
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Philadelphia rally seeks to boost spirits of unions under siege
Philadelphia Inquirer
The huge union rally in the Municipal Services Building plaza Thursday was organized ostensibly in support of Wisconsin public workers fighting to retain their collective bargaining rights. But every full-throated labor leader who stepped to the microphone framed the battle in Wisconsin as part of an existential threat that unions face everywhere ... "We built this country, and we're not going to let you take it away from us," said AFL-CIO Philadelphia Council president Patrick J. Eiding. "They're not trying to balance the budget; they're trying to decimate collective bargaining." The Philadelphia Council organized the lunchtime rally, which included about 20 area unions and about 1,000 sign-waving members, who periodically chanted: "We are one!" ... Cathy Scott, president of District Council 47 of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, which represents the city's professional, technical, and administrative employees, said the fight in Wisconsin was about "shifting power from working people and the poor to corporations" ... "The question isn't why do I have a pension and benefits and a good job? The question is, why don't you?" [UFCW 1776's John] Meyerson said. "If you want a pension, get a union. If you want benefits, get a union. If you want a good job, get a union" ...
Local Rally Held In Support Of Wisconsin’s Workers
KDKA
Perhaps 500 workers and supporters from most of Pittsburgh’s labor movement turned out on short notice for this afternoon’s rally. ”We need to fight to make sure that they don’t rob any worker of their rights to collective bargaining, or their rights to be in a union,” said Leo Girard, of the United Steelworkers of America ...
Locals rally for solidarity
Wilkes Barre Times-Leader
Close to 200 representatives from the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, United Food and Commercial Workers, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and others gathered for a noon rally Wednesday …
Pa. labor groups vow to fight `right-to-work' bill
Centre Daily Times
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Rick Bloomingdale said the bill would weaken unions and, in turn, drive down the wages that unions negotiate for workers. "We've got to kill it in the Legislature. We've got to drive a stake through its heart," Bloomingdale said. David R. Fillman, executive director of Council 13 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees - the largest state-employee union - shared Bloomingdale's dislike for the bill but was less worried about its prospects …
March protests looming Planned Parenthood funding end
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
If the amendment survives in the Senate, it would mean a nearly one-third budget cut for the seven Planned Parenthood centers in the region, said Kim Evert, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania …
Editorial: Ending Planned Parenthood funding will lead to more unwanted pregnancies
Philadelphia Inquirer
Last year, 49,000 people went to the South East Pennsylvania Planned Parenthood clinics for a total of 63,000 STD tests, more than 25,000 Pap tests, 13,000 screenings for cervical cancer, 14,000 breast exams, 17,000 doses of emergency contraception, and yes, 11,000 abortions …
Gas drilling in Pennsylvania state parks draws fire
Harrisburg Patriot-News
“The answer is not to turn our state parks and forests over to drillers and hope for the best,” said Jan Jarrett, president of PennFuture. “DEP should immediately open public comment on the previous administration’s policy, which was based on sound science.” Jeff Schmidt of the Pennsylvania chapter of the Sierra Club said, “This is where large numbers of people go for recreation and wild experiences” …
PA America Votes Partners in the News:
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Report on environment critical of power plants
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat
"Our message is clear: Powering our homes should not poison Pennsylvania's families," said Matthew Ward, a western Pennsylvania field associate with Penn-Environment. "Mercury pollution from power plants puts our kids and our environment at risk, and we need the Environmental Protection Agency to force these facilities to clean up" ...
Battle Brewing Over Proposed School Vouchers For PA
Public News Service-PA
James Testerman, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, the state's largest public-school employees' union, says 82 percent of public schools in the state met the federal standard for adequate yearly progress in 2010, and the voucher proposal turns its back on those that didn't ...
Philly parents long anticipated date with Ackerman approaching
Philadelphia Public School Notebook
Arlene Ackerman has agreed to a February 4 date for a public forum/meeting with interested parents and community members sponsored by ACTION United. In November, ACTION United repeatedly called District headquarters to get Ackerman to come to their annual Back to School rally ...
Dayle Steinberg, Planned Parenthood Southeastern PA, Op-Ed: Women's right facing threats
Philadelphia Inquirer
Women can continue to count on Planned Parenthood's strong voice of reason, its medical expertise, and its legacy of trust to ensure that our rights won't be compromised. Planned Parenthood faces the future with enormous hope and with a commitment to stand for women's reproductive rights, despite all odds ...
Jackson sees reconstruction as path to jobs, renewal, justice
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
One of the awards given was to a union group credited with saving jobs. Service Employees International Union Healthcare PA received the Grassroots Award for its 2009 campaign that rescued 400 jobs when pharmacy company Express Scripts threatened to close both of its facilities in Bensalem, Pa. But in her acceptance speech, Executive Vice President Kati Sipp issued a word of warning ... "The real reason for putting this together was the 72 workshops," said Michael Morrill, executive director of Keystone Progress. "It's not enough to just be right. We have to be able to organize." Attendee Liz J. Hrenda, a UniServ representative of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, said that, despite having been involved in unions "forever," including while working at Bethlehem Steel's Steelton plant for 10 years, she learned something in the workshops ...
PMC service workers union approves possible one-day strike
Pocono Record
Officials for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Pennsylvania said service and maintenance workers approved the strike after a meeting this week in which workers rejected hospital management's most recent contract proposal. Union officials said they've met with hospital management three times over the last two weeks. "We are totally, totally demoralized by what PMC is doing to us," said a tearful Madeline Vazquez, a secretary at the hospital and union negotiator. "We are people ..."
Unionized workers in Pennsylvania reject offer from Acme Markets
Philadelphia Inquirer
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776 sent Malvern-based Acme a letter Thursday informing the grocer that Philadelphia-area members had voted "no" to the cash-saving maneuver Wednesday night, president Wendell Young IV said ...
Lawsuit filed over truancy fines
Lebanon Daily News
Churchill was joined at the news conference by Leticia Fuentes Keith, president of the Lebanon chapter of the NAACP, and Jerome Mondesire, president of the Pennsylvania NAACP, who called the district's truancy fines an "outrageously, discriminatory truancy punishment machine" ...
Twitter Round-up Part II
Below are some of the tweets sent out by our AV staff, who are working across the country pounding the pavement and getting out the vote.
At Common Concerns, checking out another great staging location sending canvassers out into PA-6 and PA-7!
Getting CO early vote and mail-in numbers today; progressive returns increasing daily. Keep it up-send in your ballot! Early vote ends Fri
In Columbus OH, volunteers arriving for Planned Parenthood and Equality Ohio phone bank tonight (despite torrential rain!)
Rural Organizing Campaign- aka ROC- rally tonite in Defiance, OH at the UAW Hall to energize rural, NW Ohio voters for GOTV & E- Day.
all hands on deck for GOTV turf cutting in Columbus, OH this morning!
Great work in PA-7 and PA-8 being done by Vote Vets and LCV. Thanks for the site visit and program update team!
Calm before the storm? Not really...gearing up for our 96hr GOTV, let's go CO!
WI: In MKE now at 1 of 2 staging sites here. trained 160 canvassers and drivers yesterday, expecting 250+ more today! #gotv
Manchester, NH: Day 4 on the ground. 28 canvassers out and about. Phonebank in Concord and progressive voter guide ALMOST done! good day.
As always, you can follow America Votes on twitter, @Americavotes
OH: AV Partners Coordinating Progressive GOTV Efforts
America Votes Development Associate Courtney Ryan blogs from Columbus, Ohio.
Empty pizza boxes. Loose campaign literature. Pens, folders and scissors strewn about. Poster-sized signs of volunteer shifts up on the walls. That's a snapshot of the America Votes coalition headquarters in Columbus, Ohio this afternoon. But more importantly, there are also a slew of dedicated volunteers and staff who have spent the majority of their time in this office for the past few weeks. They have lived and breathed progressive voter mobilization. The aim is clear -- to get out the vote in support of Governor Strickland and other progressive candidates across the Buckeye State, with a particular focus on Ohio State House candidates.
Upon walking into the Columbus office, the diversity of the America Votes coalition is immediately evident. Ohio Education Association canvassers are bustling in the office between canvass shifts, urging voters to vote early. The Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Ohio have hosted a nightly phone bank here, and their volunteers are tireless in explaining why Ohioans should vote pro-choice. UFCW Local 1059 has had wonderful canvassers and volunteers here each day, organizing their members and helping out with anything that's needed. Dedicated staff and volunteers from Equality Ohio are preparing for weekend canvassing. The Rural Organizing Campaign, which is a coalition of 21 progressive state groups working to give rural Ohio a political voice, held a big rally in the northwestern part of the state yesterday to get rural voters enthused about voting. The energy of all these groups is contagious, and it's great to see them all working together as one. Ohio is truly fired up and ready to go.
There is a sense of urgency and an unspoken all-hands-on-deck policy that is also apparent. They all know how much different (read: worse) the state will be if conservative candidate John Kasich wins the race for Governor. Or if conservatives Jim Renacci and Steve Stivers win the U.S. House seats they're fighting for. Or if we don't win the Ohio State House.
I'm really looking forward to working with these groups for the next few days. Tomorrow is a day affectionately known as "Packet Land"; we will be assembling packets of lists for canvassers who will be knocking doors throughout the area this Saturday through Election Day.
Stay tuned for more reports from the Buckeye State.
America Votes-CO Canvass 10/23
America Votes-CO volunteers joined with our partners to send hundreds out to knock on doors for progressive candidates.America Votes President Joan Fitz-Gerald joined AV-CO staff and volunteers for a great day of door knocking!
Volunteers met at six staging locations in Denver and Fort Collins for breakfast and training then hit the doors, talking to Coloradoans about the importance of getting out the vote!
Early Vote opened in Colorado on October 18, so voters can cast their ballot now! For more information on where and when to vote in Colorado, visit the website for the CO Secretary of State.
We'd like to thank the partners who helped make this day possible: AFL-CIO, Clean Water Action, Colorado Progressive Action, Environment Colorado, NARAL, New Era Colorado, Justice for All, Planned Parenthood, Progressive Future, Rocky Mountain Voter Outreach, and Working America.
Reporting From the Field
We have one week until Election Day, and early voting has already begun in many states.Everyone at AV has been hard at work the last few weeks turning out voters in key districts and key states, fighting to preserve our Democratic majorities. Here are just a few examples of the great work everyone in the field is doing, brought to you via @Americavotes on Twitter
- In CO. ready to rally rallies. Volunteers showing up all day to walk. Let's go!
- Just left AFL in Jeffco. Lots of volunteers ready to walk. No enthusiasm gap here! Stakes r 2 high.
- Ft.Collins lots of volunteers with PP and Naral ready to hit the doors with New Era.
- Clean Water Action covering Ft. Collins for Markey and Bennet. Critical turnout area. Dedicated CWA people!
- America Votes national staff heading into the field for GOTV. Stay tuned for on the ground reporting in CO, NH, NV, OH, PA and WI
- At a canvass kick-off with Penn Action in PA-8! Let's go hit those doors.
- WI: Prepping for massive GOTV program - 8 staging sites around state. 1000's of canvassers. 100,000+ doors. #tombarrett #feingold #WI
As always, follow America Votes on Twitter @Americavotes and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmericaVotes.