Planned Parenthood Opposes the Nomination of Mike Pompeo for Secretary of State

WASHINGTON D.C. — Thursday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is holding a confirmation hearing for Mike Pompeo. Planned Parenthood opposes the nomination of Mike Pompeo for secretary of state. His long record of attacks on the human rights of women, LGBTQ individuals, and other marginalized communities in the U.S. and around the world, make him an unacceptable choice for secretary of state.

Statement from Latanya Mapp Frett, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Global:

Mike Pompeo is the wrong choice for secretary of state. As a member of Congress, Pompeo co-sponsored extreme “personhood” bills that would even outlaw some common forms of birth control. He has co-sponsored legislation to eliminate funding for United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which provides critical family planning and maternal health services, often in the most dire humanitarian settings. He has a history of anti-LGBTQ and anti-Muslim rhetoric that calls into question his diplomatic temperament and his ability to defend the rights of all people.

The Trump-Pence administration has already taken steps to hurt women, girls and communities around the world and Pompeo is likely to double down on this devastating agenda. The Senate must reject Pompeo’s nomination. We need a secretary of state who will protect human rights, not undermine them.

Planned Parenthood believes all people deserve to live healthy lives with their human rights respected, protected, and fulfilled — no matter who they are, or where they live. As our nation’s top diplomat and public face to world leaders, the secretary of state must champion human rights. The secretary of state has significant global influence over women’s rights, health, and lives — as well as the communities that depend on them. The position oversees the vital work of the Office of Global Women’s Issues, PEPFAR — the nation’s global HIV/AIDS program, humanitarian assistance, the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, and the Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons. Under the Trump-Pence administration, this role has also included implementing the deadly global gag rule, which needlessly risks lives by putting ideology and politics between providers and their patients.

Several letters and statements from a diverse set of organizations have condemned Mike Pompeo’s nomination for secretary of state, including this, this and this letter, signed by Planned Parenthood Federation of America along with a coalition of groups committed to diplomacy, reproductive rights, and human rights.

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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.

For more than 45 years, Planned Parenthood Federation of America has supported access to sexual and reproductive health care and advocated for reproductive rights around the world through our international arm, Planned Parenthood Global. In partnership with more than 100 organizations across 12 focus countries in Africa and Latin America, we advance the health and rights of young people, women and families, with an emphasis on the most vulnerable and underserved. Last year, our partners reached over a million people with sexual and reproductive health information and services provided by our partners. Our unique sustainability model sets us apart, as we empower partners to stand on their own. We help grassroots organizations develop solid reproductive health programs, identify other sources of funding, build their communications and advocacy skills, and develop strategic plans.