McConnell’s Attempt to Permanently Ban Abortion Coverage is Dangerous

WASHINGTON — During the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, Senate Leader Mitch McConnell called for a vote on a sweeping and permanent ban on safe, legal abortion coverage. The legislation, No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2019 (S.109), would make already harmful abortion bans permanent and extend to the private insurance market.

Statement from Jacqueline Ayers, National Director, Legislative Affairs, Planned Parenthood Federation of America:

Clearly, Senator McConnell is more concerned with stripping away women’s rights than he is with re-opening the federal government. It’s wrong to withhold insurance coverage in order to stop women from accessing safe, legal abortion, and it disproportionately harms low-income people and women of color. We call on the Republican leadership in the Senate to do their jobs, re-open the government, and stop attacking our rights and health care.

Abortion has been safe and legal throughout the U.S. for more than 40 years. A clear majority of Americans (73 percent) do not want to see Roe v. Wade overturned. This legislation, S. 109, is a dangerous assault on women’s health. It's nothing more than a thinly-veiled attempt to take away the comprehensive private health insurance coverage that millions of women have today and to make the Hyde amendment and other federal abortion bans permanent. These dangerous bans would disproportionately affect women of color, young people, and LGBTQ communities.

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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With more than 600 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.