A message from CREDO Action:The Republican plan to defund Planned Parenthood is working — but if we take action now we may be able to stop the latest attack on women's right to health care.
It was just announced that Susan G. Komen for a Cure, a much loved leader in the fight against breast cancer, will no longer fund a program that provides free or low-cost breast cancer screenings for millions of women who get their health care from Planned Parenthood.1 This is a huge blow.
In abruptly pulling nearly $1,000,000 in funding for breast cancer screenings, the Susan G. Koman foundation cited a sham "investigation" into Planned Parenthood launched by Republican Rep. Cliff Stearns, one of the most militant anti-choice members of Congress.2 We have to stand up and fiercely defend Planned Parenthood — and show Susan G. Komen and others who are considering caving to the radical right that we will not let extremists defund health care providers for women who include reproductive health services.
You may recall the so-called investigation was launched by Rep. Stearns last fall after Congress failed to pass bill after bill to defund reproductive health services to women. Stearns' investigation, which was challenged by over 100,000 CREDO Action members, was nothing more than a blatant attempt to tie up Planned Parenthood's staff and resources in a politically motivated investigation. And now its being used by anti-woman activists to go after Planned Parenthood's non-governmental funding.
It's clear that Planned Parenthood and its affiliates have not broken the law and didn't deserve the investigation launched against them. The Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General along with state Medicaid programs already audit Planned Parenthood. These audits have not revealed any pattern of behavior that would warrant Congressional investigation.
Millions of women support the Susan G. Komen charity through its Race for the Cure and other programs to fight breast cancer, many of whom support Planned Parenthood and are clients of its clinics. And we know there are many wonderful and dedicated people within the Susan G. Komen who care deeply about women's health care. But now the board of Susan G. Komen, is supporting the Republicans' attacks on Planned Parenthood by citing the politically motivated Congressional investigation as the basis for its decision to defund Planned Parenthood.
Because many of the women who support Susan G. Komen also support Planned Parenthood, a massive and immediate push back from us could make them reverse their decision.
It is appalling that Susan G. Komen would end their funding of a program that benefited millions of women who could otherwise not afford breast cancer screenings just because the health care provider is Planned Parenthood. But this is not an isolated event. It's part of a devastatingly effective strategy by extremists on the right to destroy progressive institutions.
After the demise of ACORN, Planned Parenthood has become Enemy Number One for Republicans in the increasingly extremist House of Representatives. We can't allow Susan G. Komen to cave to these extremists and end its relationship with Planned Parenthood, giving Rep. Stearns and his anti-woman allies in Congress a big win.
Republicans hoped that by instigating this investigation, without a shred of evidence to support it, they could weaken Planned Parenthood. And if we don't fight back and reverse this decision that is exactly what will happen.
CREDO is proud to be the largest corporate funder of Planned Parenthood. Every time the rightwing attacks Planned Parenthood, we will be there to defend them. Thanks for joining us in this fight.
Thank you for standing up for Planned Parenthood.
Becky Bond, Political Director
CREDO Action from Working Assets
CREDO Action from Working Assets
1. "Susan G. Komen Halts Grants To Planned Parenthood," NPR, 01-13-2012.
2. Ibid.
2. Ibid.
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