Politics over Women’s Health?

You would think that an organization dedicated to finding a cure for breast cancer would do everything in its power to make sure that women have access to cancer screenings and mammograms. But apparently that isn’t the case.

Earlier in the week, The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation halted all funding for Planned Parenthood.

This money was vital for Planned Parenthood – it allowed the organization to provide nearly 170,000 clinical breast exams and referrals for more than 6,400 mammograms over the past five years. This is preventative care that saves lives.

But under pressure from anti-choice groups and Congressional Republicans, Komen pulled its funding - with folks like right-wing senator David Vitter taking credit. And now tens of thousands of women could be at risk.

This War on Women must stop – women’s lives are at stake. Tell the GOP to stop playing politics: it’s time to put women’s health first!

“It’s hard to understand how an organization with whom we share a mission of saving women’s lives could have bowed to this kind of bullying,” said Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

In this Congress, we’ve seen an all out assault on women from the GOP, and this is just the latest fallout.

But our women in Congress are speaking out and fighting back. Here are a few of their statements:

"I was perplexed and troubled to see the decision by Susan G. Komen for the Cure to cut off funding for life-saving breast cancer screenings through Planned Parenthood because of a political witch hunt by House Republicans. I truly hope that they will reconsider this decision and put the needs of women first." – Sen. Barbara Boxer

“I'm troubled by the decision by the Susan G. Komen Foundation to end support of cancer screenings for thousands of women through Planned Parenthood. These women who depend on Planned Parenthood for cancer screening, education, and prevention shouldn't pay the price for this misguided decision.” – Sen. Patty Murray

"I see the Komen Foundation declaring war on women's health. Planned Parenthood has done everything they've been asked to do. And with their own private money, with 3 percent of their services or less, they do abortions, which the last I heard were still legal in this country." – Rep. Diana DeGette

And don’t miss this impassioned speech from Rep, Jackie Speier on the House floor,

Our women are doing everything they can to stop the attacks on women’s health. But we need more of them! And we can do it in 2012 with our amazing line-up of Democratic women candidates who will help us hold the Senate and take back the House. Learn more here: WHY 2012

Related Blog Posts:
On standing up for Roe

On the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, commit to a 40th

The GOP: (un)Shockingly Scorning Women Again