New Polling: People Overwhelmingly Reject Trump’s Gag Rule

73% of Americans oppose administration actions like the domestic gag rule  

Planned Parenthood Launches Efforts to Mobilize Supporters Across the Country

WASHINGTON, DC -- New polling from Hart Research Associates shows overwhelming opposition to the Trump-Pence administration’s efforts to take away women’s basic rights and health care. Across the country, 73 percent of Americans oppose administration actions like the domestic gag rule — rules that block access to care for millions of women and violate the trust Americans have in their doctors.  

Trump’s nationwide gag rule, released last night, makes it illegal for doctors, nurses, hospitals, community health centers, and any other provider in the Title X program to tell patients how they can safely and legally access abortion. It would also introduce new rules designed to make it impossible for patients to access birth control at Planned Parenthood health centers across the country.

Specifically, the new polling shows:

• Across the country, 73 percent of Americans oppose administration actions like the domestic gag rule — rules that block access to care for millions of women and violate the trust Americans have in their doctors.
• Three in four Americans reject the Trump-Pence Administration’s attempts to block access to care at Planned Parenthood health centers.
• More than twice as many Americans disapprove than approve of the Trump-Pence Administration’s agenda to take away women’s basic health, rights, and freedoms.
• Almost seven in 10 Americans strongly disapprove of the Trump-Pence administration’s agenda to take away women’s basic health, rights, and freedoms.
• Of the people polled, almost one in three (31%) reported that they have been to a Planned Parenthood health center for care.

Statement from Geoff Garin, President of Hart Research Associates:

Our polling showed that a strong majority of Americans support women’s access to reproductive health care and oppose the Trump administration’s efforts to restrict it. We tested a variety of the administration’s policy proposals and, on all of them, over two-thirds surveyed disapproved. The message couldn’t be clearer: Americans oppose threats to Planned Parenthood and strongly disapprove of the Trump administration’s agenda on women’s health.

Women are increasingly aware of the Trump-Pence administration’s actions - and they’re fighting back. One in five people in the US (20 percent for the first time) have marched in the last 16 months and they’re mobilized by women’s health and rights.

Over the next few days, Planned Parenthood organizations and supporters are taking action. 

• Today at 5:30pm, Planned Parenthood supporters are rallying at the Capitol.
• Tomorrow, Planned Parenthood supporters will be at nearly all HHS regional offices in NYC, Chicago, Kansas City, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, and Dallas.
• And, as Congress goes into recess this weekend and next week, constituents and supporters will be making their voices heard with their members of Congress at their in-district offices.

Statement from Dawn Laguens, Executive Vice President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America:

To be certain, Donald Trump and Mike Pence will try to use this rule as a pillar of their campaign message - and it will fail miserably. Members of Congress reject this gag rule. Patients reject this gag rule. The health care community rejects this gag rule.

Women are increasingly aware of the Trump-Pence administration’s actions, and every day more take action. The Trump Pence administration is trying to control and silence women in this country. With this proposal, they’ve only guaranteed we will be louder.

 

The proposed rule, issued by the Department of Health and Human Services last night but not yet posted to the Federal Register, would do three main things:  

1. Make it illegal for doctors, nurses, hospitals, and community health centers across the country that participate in the Title X program to refer their patients for safe, legal abortion.

2. Impose new restrictions designed to make it impossible for patients to get birth control or preventive care from reproductive health care providers like Planned Parenthood.

3. Remove the guarantee that people are getting full and accurate information about their health care from their doctors. For nearly two decades, Title X law has been clear: Health care providers cannot withhold information from you about your pregnancy options. This rule means they can.

This is opposed by the medical community, lawmakers and public health experts. Major medical associations, like the American Medical Association, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Physicians, and others oppose this rule. When a similar version of this rule was introduced in the 1980s, it was met with tremendous outcry and opposition from the medical community. More than 200 members of Congress (Senate letter and House letter) and over 110 public health organizations have come out in opposition to a gag policy.

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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.