FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 25, 2012
Contact: Mallory Quigley, 202-223-8073
Obama Focus on ‘Choice,’ Denies Women Access to Comprehensive, Whole-Woman Care
Washington, DC ─ Today, the Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List), a national pro-life organization, criticized the Obama Administration’s decision to usurp the will of the North Carolina state legislature by awarding $426,000 in federal grants directly to Planned Parenthood affiliates in the state. On July 3, the state legislature passed a budget adjustment bill redirecting $343,000 in family planning funding from Planned Parenthood, America’s largest abortion business, to county health departments that provide comprehensive care.
“Yesterday President Obama said he supports Planned Parenthood because he wants his two daughters to be able to ‘control their own health care choices.’ This morning we find that he once again is using euphemisms like ‘choice’ and ‘control’ to trample the rights of states and force pro-life taxpayers to fund the abortion business,” said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. “President Obama’s decision to overrule the North Carolina legislature today marks the third time this month – and the fifth time in the last year – that he has stepped in to contract directly with the nation’s largest abortion provider.
“In 2010 alone, Planned Parenthood ended the lives of 329,445 children and ill-served their mothers—that is what is really meant by the secret code of ‘choice,’ ‘control,’ and ‘health care.’ President Obama and Planned Parenthood are not all about providing health care to women, but rather are concerned only with protecting Planned Parenthood’s role as largest abortion provider in nation. The best proof is Planned Parenthood’s refusal to simply stop performing abortions in order to continue receiving taxpayer funding through the states. The SBA List position is clear: stop providing abortion and we will stop working to eliminate your taxpayer funding.”
In addition to North Carolina, the Obama Administration has now directly assisted Planned Parenthood in four other states including:
- Indiana: The Obama Administration threatened to pull $4.3 billion in Medicaid funding from the state after the legislature voted to defund Planned Parenthood. (June 2011)
- New Hampshire: The Obama Administration contracted directly with Planned Parenthood after the state’s elected Executive Council voted to defund Planned Parenthood. (September 2011)
- Texas: The Obama Administration pulled $30 million in Medicaid waiver funds from Texas after the state legislature voted to defund Planned Parenthood from the waiver program. (March 2012)
- Tennessee: The Obama Administration bypassed elected officials in Tennessee and contracted directly with Planned Parenthood after they were defunded by the state. (July 2012)
- New Jersey: The Obama Administration awarded $3.1 million in federal funds to Planned Parenthood affiliates and other family planning groups in New Jersey, bypassing New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s veto of state funding. (July 2012)
The Susan B. Anthony List, and its connected Political Action Committee, the SBA List Candidate Fund, are dedicated to electing candidates and pursuing policies that will reduce and ultimately end abortion. To that end, the SBA List will emphasize the election, education, promotion, and mobilization of pro-life women.
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