PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF GREATER NEW YORK DEMANDED ACCOUNTABILITY FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AT KEY CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES THIS WEEK 

New York, NY– This week, Planned Parenthood of Greater New York Action Fund (PPGNYAF) and supporters conducted three in person actions to encourage key members of Congress to stand up for reproductive health, rights, and justice. The actions took place at the offices of New York Congress members George Santos, Brandon Williams and Marc Molinaro, as supporters demanded the representatives to bring the Women’s Health Care Protection Act (WHPA) to the floor for a vote. To access photos and video of all three actions please visit this link.  

Background: This past July, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which include several harmful provisions that would restrict access to health care, including abortion and gender-affirming care. Anti-abortion and anti-trans House members passed three amendments that would:   

• Reverse the Department of Defense policy to support service members and their families who are forced to travel off base for reproductive health care — including abortion care — that is not covered or offered at their base.  
• Prohibit coverage of gender affirming care through TRICARE, exacerbating the existing impact of discrimination on transgender service members.  
• Prohibit provision of gender affirming care through the Exceptional Family Member Program. 

But we are demanding better. Right now, there is a petition in the House to bring the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA or HR 12) to the floor for a vote but there aren’t enough votes to do so yet. The WHPA, if enacted, would prohibit governmental restrictions on the provision and access to abortion services. There is a petition to discharge the WHPA from the committee and move it to the Senate floor, on House Resolution 468. If a majority of the House—7 more members than are currently signed on—were to sign on to H.Res. 468, the WHPA could be voted on by the House.  

Statement by Marina Montgomery, Political Affairs Director for Planned Parenthood of Greater New York Action Fund  

We cannot allow New York Representatives to quietly vote on the House floor for bills that restrict access to abortion and gender-affirming care – the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) does not reflect the wants and needs of New Yorkers. This week, we showed up and showed out to the offices of Representatives Santos, Molinaro, and Williams to ensure that they know their constituents support equitable access to sexual and reproductive health care for all, including members of the military. We must continue to fight for a future where health care decisions are determined by people and their medical providers, not politicians.

Collectively eighteen PPGNY Action Fund supporters and staff members showed up for the three separate Accountability Action events at different locations across the state, and conversations with each of the three Congress Members and their staff lasted between two to three hours.  

###   

Planned Parenthood of Greater New York Action Fund is the advocacy arm of PPGNY. The Planned Parenthood of Greater New York Action Fund engages in educational and electoral activity, including issue advocacy, voter education, and grassroots organizing to promote Planned Parenthood's mission. The Planned Parenthood of Greater New York Action Fund is a non-partisan, non-profit organization affiliated with Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund.