Planned Parenthood Applauds Historic Women’s Health Protection Act
For Immediate Release: Feb. 12, 2020
Washington, DC — Today, the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Health will hold a historic hearing on the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA).
WHPA is a critical piece of legislation that would protect against medically unnecessary abortion restrictions being pushed forward by state politicians. Reproductive health champions Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA-27) and 215 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives, and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and 42 co-sponsors in the Senate, are pushing the legislation forward.
Statement from Alexis McGill Johnson, acting president & CEO, Planned Parenthood Federation of America:
“Abortion is health care, abortion is safe, abortion is legal, and the vast majority of Americans want abortion to remain accessible. Yet state politicians across the country have been doing all they can to make abortion illegal and inaccessible, hurting patients who already face barriers to health care in the process. That’s why Planned Parenthood is proud to see our champions in Congress take up the Women’s Health Protection Act. A person’s ability to access reproductive health care should never be determined by their zip code or their income, and this act would get us one step closer to a world where everyone can access health care. We’ll continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies who are fighting to protect abortion access for all.”
During the 2019 state legislative sessions alone, 58 new restrictions on abortion were enacted into law. All in all, in 2019, a record 25 abortion bans were enacted in 12 states.
A fact sheet on the Women’s Health Protection Act can be found here.
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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.