Urge Michigan Senators to RESTORE Funding for Women’s Health Centers

By MUUSJN on Tuesday, August 20th, 2019

TRUMP-PENCE GAG RULE BANS TITLE X FAMILY PLANNING FUNDS FOR HEALTH CENTERS THAT MAKE ABORTION REFERRALS

CALL MICHIGAN SENATORS

DEBBIE STABENOW: 202-224-4822

GARY PETERS: 202-224-6221

CALL TO ACTION

This Monday August 19th, the Trump Administration, through its Department of Health and Human Services, issued an ultimatum: family planning providers must state in writing that they would stop making referrals to doctors who perform abortions or the federal government would stop allocating Title X family planning funds to those organizations. Title X is the premier reproductive health care program started by President H.W. Bush in 1970, It provides low or no cost services to 4 million people. Title X provides funding for health services, birth control, and pregnancy tests, as well as screenings for sexually transmitted diseases and breast and cervical cancer. Title X assures access to these services to 1.5 million low-income women each year. Title X has never been used to fund abortions, according to Planned Parenthood.

On Monday, Planned Parenthood, which serves 40% of all people through the Title X program, declared the new rule is unethical and withdrew is involvement in the Title X program rather than refusing to allow its health professionals to make referrals for abortions. Planned Parenthood, the American Medical Society, other organizations and more than 20 states, have challenged the gag rule in courts. However, a federal appeals court in July said the rule could take effect while the legal cases are pending. For more background on this important issue, click HERE for an article in the August 19th New York Times.

Wednesday, August 21st is considered by national Planned Parenthood to be a National Day of Action. Actions, including visits and talks with legislators, however, can be made throughout the week.

Planned Parenthood and their allies are calling on the public to urge Congress to restore Title X funding that does not block referrals for abortions in the FY 2020 budget. This federal budget must be adopted by September 30, 2019 or the government will shut down. The U.S. House did its part by passing a spending bill that includes the Title X in the way that it has operated for decades. Now the Senate must must push for a spending bill that includes this Title X protection.

This new Trump administration rule represents attacks by the religious right and by political conservatives on women’s right to have access to a full range of health care services.MUUSJN has consistently opposed this gag rule as an immoral denial of women’s rights. Both Senator Stabenow and Senator Peters have strong pro-choice voting records: https://ontheissues.org/Senate/Debbie_Stabenow.htmhttps://www.prochoiceamerica.org/2019/06/17/naral-peters-endorsement/

PLEASE THANK THEM & URGE THEM TO BE CHAMPIONS FOR ACCESS TO TITLE X SERVICES

WHEN YOU CALL SENATORS STABENOW AND PETERS, TELL THEM:

  1. Thank you for your commitment to protecting access to full reproductive justice for women and their families;
  2. I agree with Planned Parenthood, the American Medical Association and other organizations who call for a federal budget that does not include a gag rule;
  3. I urge you to be a CHAMPION for Title X funding in the FY 2020 budget. Women’s full access to reproductive services should be protected in the federal budget.





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