The Planned Parenthood Action Fund applauds Governor Dayton for standing with Minnesota women to protect essential health care services.
Governor Dayton joined thirteen other governors across the country in sending a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar opposing the Trump-Pence administration’s gag rule on Title X, the nation’s family planning program that helps cover the cost of contraception and preventive care for people with low incomes.
Statement from Sarah Stoesz, President of the Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund:
“We’re grateful to Governor Dayton for, once again, standing with Minnesota women to protect reproductive health care services in our state. The Trump-Pence administration is taking direct aim at birth control and other life-saving health care for tens of thousands of Minnesotans in every corner of our state. Governor Dayton is part of a strong, vocal movement fighting for these essential health care services nationwide.”
BACKGROUND
The proposed gag rule bans any health care provider that refers patients for safe, legal abortion from receiving Title X funds. This change by the Trump Administration would exclude Planned Parenthood patients from this critical source of funding for family planning services. The group of thirteen governors join 200 members of Congress and 110 public health organizations who have voiced public opposition to the rule.
Since 1971, Planned Parenthood has been Minnesota’s Title X direct grantee, leading the only statewide network of family planning clinics. Planned Parenthood has 17 clinics across Minnesota that use Title X funding to care for more than 51,000 patients. Most of these clinics are located in rural or medically underserved communities, where people often have no other options for reproductive health care. Community health centers nationwide and in Minnesota say there is no way they could fill the gap if Planned Parenthood clinics were no longer allowed to serve these patients.
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Founded in 1992, the Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization. As the advocacy and electoral arm of PPMNS, we mobilize supporters of all parties to defend and increase access to family planning services and fact based, medically accurate sexuality education. We work to inspire and engage citizens to take up the cause of reproductive health and rights through education, electoral activity, grassroots organizing and legislative advocacy.
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