Statement by Vicki Cowart, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, on Upcoming State and National Vote to Take Away Cancer Screenings and Birth Control from Colorado Women

“The most conservative members of Congress are not focused on jobs or on the economy, but on taking away women’s access to basic health care — cancer screenings, birth control, and annual exams.  

“Having failed last week to eliminate breast exams, cancer screenings, and birth control that millions of American women count on, these extremists insist on pushing another attack on these critical health services with a new vote against Planned Parenthood this week. 

“The attack has been copied by conservative members of the Colorado Senate who introduced an amendment targeting abortion providers in the state’s budget bill. This amendment would have hurt women, while doing nothing to reduce the deficit or fix the economy. It would have denied thousands of Colorado women access to life-saving screenings and birth control. While the Senate version of this amendment was voted down, it will likely be debated again by the House.

“Colorado is facing serious fiscal issues that demand the full attention of our elected officials.

“Attacking Planned Parenthood and other providers' ability to administer preventive care hurts women. No state or federal funding goes towards abortion, as mandated by law.

“Doctors who provide essential health care services for women like PAP tests, breast cancer screenings, STI testing, and contraceptive services should not be denied state funds to provide these services simply because they also provide safe, legal, abortions.

“This is just one more indication of how far out of the mainstream the Conservative leadership is, and how they would sacrifice the health and well-being of women to pursue their extreme political agenda.

“The fact is that 93 percent of the health care Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains provides is preventive, and every federal dollar Planned Parenthood receives goes toward providing preventive health care to women.  

“Any elected official who votes for this extreme proposal is voting against access to lifesaving cancer screenings and birth control.

“Planned Parenthood does not want one woman to be diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer, when our health centers could have caught that cancer through early screening.  Every year Planned Parenthood provides nearly one million screenings for cervical cancer and 830,000 breast exams nationwide.  We also provide affordable birth control to nearly 2.5 million patients and nearly four million tests and treatments for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV testing.

“The continued misleading attacks on Planned Parenthood expose a cynical and coldhearted willingness to further a divisive political agenda even if it will deny women access to lifesaving cancer screenings and birth control.

“Thankfully, in Colorado and nationally, our champions are standing firmly in support of Planned Parenthood and have made clear this extreme proposal is unacceptable, and we are confident they will stand firm in their commitment to American’s women and reject this extreme proposal.”

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Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains empowers individuals and families in the communities we serve to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health by providing high quality health services, comprehensive sex education, and strategic advocacy.  More than 123,000 women, men, and young adults annually visit our 28 health centers throughout Colorado, New Mexico, Southern Nevada, and Wyoming.  Since 1916, we have been the region’s most trusted provider of reproductive health care.  For more information about Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, call 1.800.230.PLAN or visit pprm.org for the health center nearest you.