Planned Parenthood: We Aren’t Going Anywhere, Despite Government Efforts

In what can only be described as a bitter battle, Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards today announced that the organization is not going anywhere, despite Republicans threatening to shut down the U.S. government over the company’s federal funding.

Richards told the HuffingtonPost:

“This isn’t about federal funds being cut from Planned Parenthood,” while adding, “What has been proposed by the House of Representatives is to say that women can no longer go to Planned Parenthood to get their cancer screenings, to get their birth control, to get any kind of services through federal programs. That’s what’s getting lost here.”

Under current Republican plans, all funding for Title X family planning programs, such as Planned Parenthood would be eliminated completely. Conservatives have been targeting the organization because some of their clinics provide abortions, even though that practice makes up less than 3 percent of the organizations services and federal funding is not used for those procedures.

Richards goes on to tell HuffPo:

“One in five women in America have been to a Planned Parenthood health center for basic health care,” and “Ninety-seven percent of our services are basic preventative care that women rely on in communities across this country. Women and men of all parties and all walks of life are concerned about these kinds of efforts to play politics with women’s health care access.”

Quality, affordable health care is a major concern for those without health insurance and Planned Parenthood provides that type of service to the poor, single mothers and teens in need, it would be a shame to see them go away because of a conservative movement that has focused on one negative aspect of the organization.