Planned Parenthood Action Fund Hosts
Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Elizabeth Edwards
at Annual Public Affairs Conference
Planned Parenthood Action Fund President Cecile Richards tells crowd,
“Women’s Health is a Mainstream Health Care Issue.”
Washington, DC — The Planned Parenthood Action Fund today hosted 2008 presidential candidates Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama and Elizabeth Edwards, representing her husband, presidential candidate and former Sen. John Edwards, at the Planned Parenthood annual public affairs conference in Washington, DC. Addressing hundreds of Planned Parenthood Action Fund members, including activists, supporters, and staffers from across the country, the guests spoke about some of the most pressing reproductive health care issues women face today, including access to affordable birth control and comprehensive sex education. All presidential candidates were invited to speak to members of the nation's leading reproductive health care advocate.
"As the nation's leading reproductive health care provider and advocate, Planned Parenthood sees millions of people each year who need affordable health care for themselves and their families. Ninety-seven percent of the work we do is prevention — from birth control to cervical cancer screenings to education and information," said Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund.
"Our patients are from red states and blue states. They aren't coming to see us to make a political statement. It is time to return to commonsense health care policies that support women and families," added Richards.
Last week, Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the National Women's Law Center released polling data, showing that voters are overwhelmingly dissatisfied with the country's approach to reproductive health care issues, with 58 percent of voters saying that the country is headed in the wrong direction on issues such as sex education, contraception, unintended pregnancy and abortion. The survey also found that a majority of voters in nearly every demographic category support medically accurate, comprehensive sex education (76 percent) over abstinence-only programs, and shows that voters strongly support a broad list of policy initiatives, including insurance coverage of contraception, increased availability of contraception and policy initiatives that provide support, such as health care and child care for women who choose to have a child.
In the 2006 elections, voters rejected South Dakota's dangerous abortion ban and defeated ballot initiatives in California and Oregon that would have endangered vulnerable teens' health and safety. As the mood of the country has shifted, momentum has grown toward a return to commonsense policies, with 10 states rejecting federal abstinence-only funding.
"This is an historic day for the Planned Parenthood family. Women's health care should be a part of all health care discussions, and today's events demonstrate the importance of reproductive health care education in America and the critical role Planned Parenthood plays in the lives of millions of American families," said Richards.
Planned Parenthood hosts a yearly public affairs conference for hundreds of staff and volunteers who come together to build skills and network. This year's conference brings together Planned Parenthood staff from across the country to prepare for a critical year of organizing and legislative activity. The Planned Parenthood Action Fund, which is hosting the candidate events, is the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the nation's leading reproductive health care advocate and provider.
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