Battle Creek, Michigan — Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) this week took on Congressman Walberg for his vote to strip Title X funds from Planned Parenthood clinics—a vote to effectively eliminate family planning services for millions of women, men and teens in communities across America.
Rev. Mark Pawlowski, Planned Parenthood of South Central Michigan CEO said, "For more than 90 years, Planned Parenthood has provided women, men and teens with the health care services and education they need to make responsible decisions and plan their families. Congressman Walberg should be ashamed of this outrageous attack on family planning and the more than 2.4 million women and men who rely on Planned Parenthood for birth control each year.”
The amendment, introduced by Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), singled out Planned Parenthood and its affiliate health centers to be excluded from receiving Title X funds. Title X is the nation’s first and only federal program dedicated solely to funding family planning and related reproductive health services. Pence offered the amendment to H.R. 3043, the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill. It was soundly defeated.
Each year, more than five million women receive comprehensive family planning services at approximately 4,500 family planning clinics funded by Title X. Title X patients are predominantly poor and uninsured; two-thirds have incomes at or below the federal poverty level.
Continued Rev. Pawlowski, “Nearly 17 million low-income women in the U.S. need subsidized family planning services, and there is not enough funding to meet the need. Hardliners should stop playing politics and start focusing on real solutions. On behalf of the women and families who rely on Planned Parenthood for birth control each year, we urge Congressman Walberg to stop the political games and join with Planned Parenthood to put prevention first."
Planned Parenthood plays a critical role in reducing unintended pregnancies for low-income women, who are the vast majority of Planned Parenthood patients and who are four times more likely to face unintended pregnancies. For many women, especially those in rural and underserved communities, Planned Parenthood is their only source of health care.
“The simple fact is, without Planned Parenthood, many women would have nowhere to go for basic health services. Congressman Walberg voted for a fundamentally anti-woman amendment that will sabotage the reproductive health care services they rely on, as well as the intent of the Title X program. Congressman Walberg shows once again he is out of touch with his constituencies. Michigan’s women, men and teens deserve far better,” said Megan Zapinski, Public Affairs Manager at Planned Parenthood of South Central Michigan.
Every year, Planned Parenthood provides millions of women, men and teens with health care information and services. For more information about Planned Parenthood's Prevention First agenda, visit
www.plannedparenthood.org.
