PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS PRESIDENT & CEO VICKI COWART STATEMENT ON CU PRESIDENT CANDIDATE MARK KENNEDY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 2019
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PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS PRESIDENT & CEO VICKI COWART STATEMENT ON CU PRESIDENT CANDIDATE MARK KENNEDY

DENVER, CO - The following statement was released today, April 18, and is attributed to Vicki Cowart, President & CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains:

"Members of the CU Regents Board should do a thorough and transparent analysis of Mark Kennedy’s easily searchable congressional voting record before offering him the job of president of the University of Colorado.

"I am alarmed by a litany of his congressional votes on civil rights. Congressman Kennedy voted yes on increasing federal funding for health care providers that refuse to provide or even refer patients for abortion care, voted yes on banning family planning funding for providers abroad who counsel patients on abortion options, and has been a full-throated supporter of the extremist anti-choice movement.

"He voted yes on banning gay marriage, even cosponsoring a 'Marriage Protection Amendment.' His public health record is equally dismal, and he received a 0% rating from the American Public Health Association for repeatedly voting to limit health care access for patients on Medicaid. He voted to build a fence at the US/Mexico border.

"His past sends a terrible message to the students and staff at CU campuses, many of whom are studying to become health care providers, many of whom have needed access to reproductive health care including abortion care, many of whom are LGBTQ+, and many of whom are immigrants and the children of immigrants.

"His background does not rise to the level of president of Colorado’s flagship university that values diversity, human rights, academic research, science, and educational freedom of thought. The regents should vote no."

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Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, which includes Colorado, Southern Nevada, New Mexico, and Wyoming, has been helping individuals make responsible decisions for over 100 years.

Since 1916, we have been committed to delivering the highest quality reproductive health care, teaching responsible and age-appropriate sex education, and have been working diligently to protect an individual’s right to make their own decisions. Each year nearly 100,000 women, men, and teens visit our 24 health centers throughout our region.

Call 1.800.230.PLAN for the Planned Parenthood nearest you.