Planned Parenthood Statement on Exclusion of Burris Amendment from the Defense Authorization Bill

Statement by Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, on Exclusion of Burris Amendment from the Defense Authorization Bill

“It is outrageous that women who are serving honorably in the U.S. military are denied the same access to reproductive health care as women back home. Today the Senate had the opportunity to redress this double standard by allowing servicewomen to use their own private dollars to pay for abortion care while serving in the military. Unfortunately, senators traded off women’s health care for votes for the defense bill — furthering an unacceptable double standard for women serving in the armed forces.

“These brave women who are dedicating their lives to the service of the American people must be treated as the equal citizens they are under the law. Their health care needs are no less important or valid under the law than those of men serving in the military or of the civilian women they are defending. Military women must have access to the health care they need and to which they have a right, including reproductive health care.”

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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading sexual and reproductive health care provider and advocate. We believe that everyone has the right to choose when or whether to have a child, and that every child should be wanted and loved. Planned Parenthood affiliates operate more than 825 health centers nationwide, providing medical services and sexuality education for millions of women, men, and teenagers each year. We also work with allies worldwide to ensure that all women and men have the right and the means to meet their sexual and reproductive health care needs.