CRR Calls on Senate Leadership and White House to Stand Firm against Attacks on Women’s Health
(PRESS RELEASE) As the government moves closer to a shutdown, the Center for Reproductive Rights called on Senator Harry Reid and President Barack Obama to stand firm against the House leadership’s attacks on women’s health, including budget measures that would strip funding from family planning services, including Planned Parenthood, or those that would impose the Global Gag Rule and restrict the District of Columbia’s use of its own funds for abortion services. Center for Reproductive Rights President Nancy Northup said the following:
“It’s astounding that the House leadership is attempting to side-step the normal legislative process to score ideological points with a small group of anti-woman extremists in Congress. Despite attempts by House leadership to conceal the truth by hiding in assertions about the number, it is clear by now that the real stumbling block for negotiations is the set of policy riders that would trample on reproductive rights.
“It’s absurd that, apparently, the disagreement now centers on abortion policy. Lawmakers obviously know that they could not wring such anti-choice concessions from Congress as part of ordinary debate over legislation. None of the cuts to these critical programs will affect the deficit or address the need for jobs. Instead, riders that redirect funds for essential medical services will merely jeopardize the health of millions of women and families across the country. It would be irresponsible in the extreme for Congressional leaders to yield to these unreasonable demands. And it is clear who the American people should blame for this latest round of brinksmanship: yet shutting down the government will only serve to harm millions of additional families during difficult economic times.
“American women strongly commend Senator Reid and President Obama for standing firm against the wholly unreasonable demands from the House and call on them both to continue to hold the line.”