NOTE: Two-thirds of the House needed to vote in favor to pass H.R. 3541, and it only got 246 votes.
NEW YORK–(ENEWSPF)–May 31, 2012. Statement by Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America:
“This bill would not have advanced women’s health and equity. It would have imposed harmful restrictions on women’s health care and would interfere with the doctor/patient relationship. Planned Parenthood thanks our friends in the U.S. House who stood with women to defeat this latest measure in a clear agenda to restrict women’s health and rights, instead of advancing health care and equity.
“As a women’s health advocate for nearly 100 years, Planned Parenthood opposes sex-selection abortion. But this legislation fails to address the real causes of inequality and health disparities, and instead takes aim at the very communities it claims to help. Racism and gender discrimination are serious issues, and the solution is not to cast suspicion on doctors that serve communities facing the greatest health disparities, many of which are minority communities.
“We urge congressional leaders to focus on advancing real protections against discrimination, instead of the further shaming and stigmatizing of women.”
Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading sexual and reproductive health care provider and advocate. We believe that everyone has the right to choose when or whether to have a child, and that every child should be wanted and loved. Planned Parenthood affiliates operate nearly 800 health centers nationwide, providing medical services and sexuality education for millions of women, men, and teenagers each year. We also work with allies worldwide to ensure that all women and men have the right and the means to meet their sexual and reproductive health care needs.
Source: plannedparenthood.org
