Planned Parenthood® Action Center

Alaska — Mark Begich
Arizona — Ann Kirkpatrick
Colorado — Mark Udall, Jared Polis, Betsy Markey
Connecticut — Jim Himes
Florida — Alan Grayson, Ted Deutsch, Suzanne Kosmas
Idaho — Walt Minnick
Illinois — Debbie Halvorson
Maine — Chellie Pingree
Maryland — Frank Kratovil, Donna Edwards
Michigan — Gary Peters, Mark Schauer
Minnesota — Al Franken
Nevada — Dina Titus
New Hampshire — Jeanne Shaheen
New Jersey — John Adler
New Mexico — Tom Udall, Martin Heinrich, Ben Ray Lujan
New York — Paul Tonko, Bill Owens, Dan Maffei
North Carolina — Kay Hagan
Ohio — Mary Jo Kilroy
Oregon — Jeff Merkley, Kurt Schrader
Virginia — Glenn Nye, Gerry Connolly

Debbie Halvorson

Debbie Halvorson is a strong advocate for reproductive and women’s rights and has worked hard to improve the lives of women and families. She has stood up for contraceptive coverage, equal pay, and expanding health care coverage, and against domestic abuse and child predators. Before she became Illinois’ first woman senate majority leader, Halvorson was a stay-at-home mom who struggled to make ends meet.

Halvorson beat Republican candidate Martin Ozinga III to take the seat vacated by Republican Jerry Weller.

Planned Parenthood Facts

• In Illinois, more than 700,000 low-income women need family planning services.
• 7,576 Planned Parenthood activists and supporters live in Halvorson’s district (IL-11).
• In 2006, Planned Parenthood served 87,016 patients through its 16 health centers in Illinois.

Chellie Pingree

Chellie Pingree has continually shown her commitment to women’s health. While serving as the Maine Senate majority leader, Pingree led the fight to make sure that insurance companies cover prescription birth control the way they do other drugs. She also helped establish an office of women’s health.

Planned Parenthood Facts

• In Maine, nearly 80,000 low-income women need family planning services.
• Nearly 9,400 Planned Parenthood activists and supporters live in Pingree’s district (ME-01).
• In 2006, Planned Parenthood served 13,402 patients through its four health centers in Maine. (These health centers are run by Planned Parenthood of Northern New England).

Gary Peters

While in the Michigan State Senate, Gary Peters built a solid record supporting reproductive rights. In 2002, he stood up for Planned Parenthood when the Michigan Senate voted to cut funding for safety-net providers like Planned Parenthood, saying, “This bill is playing a game of risky politics” (AP, 5/2/02). Peters is also a champion of health care reform that would make affordable health care accessible to every American.

Peters defeated the anti-choice incumbent Joe Knollenberg (R).

Planned Parenthood Facts

• In Michigan, more than 582,000 low-income women need family planning services.
• Nearly 13,900 Planned Parenthood activists and supporters live in Peters’ district (MI-09).
• In 2006, Planned Parenthood served 103,519 patients through 28 health centers in Michigan. (These health centers are run by Planned Parenthood of South Central Michigan, Planned Parenthood of West and Northern Michigan, Planned Parenthood of East-Central Michigan, and Planned Parenthood of Mid and South Michigan.

Mark Schauer

As Michigan State Senate minority leader, Mark Schauer was one of Planned Parenthood’s strongest allies in the Michigan legislature. Schauer stood with Planned Parenthood to expand access to preventive services and helped defeat a state-level abortion ban that, like the federal abortion ban, did not make an exception for cases in which a woman’s health was in danger.

Schauer defeated Rep. Tim Walberg (R), one of the most extreme anti-choice members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Planned Parenthood Facts

• In Michigan, more than 582,000 low-income women need family planning services.
• Nearly 9,500 Planned Parenthood activists and supporters live in Schauer’s district (MI-07).
• In 2006, Planned Parenthood served 103,519 patients through 28 health centers in Michigan. (These health centers are run by Planned Parenthood of South Central Michigan, Planned Parenthood of West and Northern Michigan, Planned Parenthood of East-Central Michigan, and Planned Parenthood of Mid and South Michigan.)

Dina Titus

Former Nevada State Minority Leader Dina Titus has long been a champion for women’s health. Titus was a main sponsor of a bill that requires insurance companies to cover the HPV vaccine as well as legislation that requires the state to cover contraception in its employees’ health care plans.

Titus defeated anti-choice incumbent Rep. Jon Porter (R), who voted to strip Planned Parenthood health centers of Title X funding.

Planned Parenthood Facts

• In Nevada, more than 122,000 low-income women need family planning services.
• More than 10,800 Planned Parenthood activists and supporters live in Titus’ district (NV-03).
• In 2006, Planned Parenthood served 25,084 patients through its three health centers in Nevada. (These health centers are run by Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains and Planned Parenthood Mar Monte).

Jeanne Shaheen

Jeanne Shaheen is a groundbreaking pro-choice public official — not only did she become New Hampshire’s first woman senator and the first woman Democratic senator from all of New England, she was also the state’s first woman governor, serving from 1997–2003. As governor, Shaheen required health insurance companies to cover contraceptives and introduced New Hampshire’s Children’s Health Insurance Program, which ensured affordable health insurance for thousands of children in the state. Shaheen also led the efforts to repeal New Hampshire’s 150-year-old law that made abortion a felony.

Shaheen beat the anti-choice incumbent John Sununu (R), who earned a zero percent rating from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund for consistently voting against women’s health.

Planned Parenthood Facts

• In New Hampshire, more than 65,000 low-income women need family planning services.
• More than 20,000 Planned Parenthood activists and supporters live in New Hampshire.
• In 2006, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England served 20,002 patients through its seven New Hampshire health centers.

John Adler

As a member of the New Jersey Senate, John Adler was a strong pro-women’s health advocate. He fought for insurance companies to cover contraceptives and emergency contraception in the emergency room, and for a bill that would require pharmacists to fill prescriptions regardless of personal beliefs.  Adler hopes to improve life for middle-class Americans by expanding affordable health care.

Adler defeated Republican Chris Myers to succeed Republican H. James Saxton, who retired.

Planned Parenthood Facts

• In New Jersey, more than 394,000 low-income women need family planning services.
• 5,748 Planned Parenthood activists and supporters live in Adler’s district (NJ-03).
• In 2006, Planned Parenthood served 88,304 patients through 26 health centers in New Jersey.

Kay Hagan

A strong supporter of health care reform and a champion for women’s rights, former North Carolina State Senator Kay Hagan has fought to expand health care coverage for children in North Carolina, encouraged small businesses to include contraception as part of their health insurance, and pushed for more DNA testing to help rape survivors identify their assailants. She has said, "I am a strong supporter of a woman's right to choose. … I would like to see abortions be safe, legal, and rare. These decisions are best made privately by a woman in consultation with her doctor."

Hagan defeated anti-choice Republican Elizabeth Dole (R) for her seat in the 111th Congress.

Planned Parenthood Facts

• In North Carolina, more than 468,000 low-income women need family planning services.
• 69,336 Planned Parenthood activists and supporters live in North Carolina.
• In 2006, Planned Parenthood served 15,067 patients through its eight North Carolina health centers.

Jeff Merkley

Jeff Merkley has proudly stood with Planned Parenthood throughout his legislative career. Notably, Merkley led the fight in Oregon to pass the Access to Birth Control Act, which requires health insurance plans to cover prescription birth control the way they cover other drugs, and requires hospitals to offer emergency contraception to women who seek emergency room treatment after a sexual assault.

Merkley beat anti-choice incumbent Gordon Smith (R), who voted against access to emergency contraception and opposes Roe v. Wade.

Planned Parenthood Facts

• In Oregon, more than 204,000 low-income women need family planning services.
• Nearly 140,000 Planned Parenthood activists and supporters live in Oregon.
• In 2006, Planned Parenthood served 79,963 patients through 14 health centers in Oregon. (These health centers are run by Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon and Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette.)