Missouri Monitor: January 12, 2021
By Planned Parenthood Advocates in Missouri | Jan. 12, 2021, 7 p.m.
Category: Community Engagement
Insurrection
We're horrified by the violent Trump-backed insurrectionists, including white supremacist activity, inside the U.S. Capitol. This is a violent assault on our democracy and cannot be tolerated.
The call to dismantle anti-Black racism is more urgent than ever. We have watched police approach peaceful protests with swift and brutal force that we did not see last week — despite the violence coming from those storming the Capitol.
These violent insurrectionists must be held accountable for their actions. So too must the president and members of Congress, including Missouri’s own Senator Josh Hawley.
Senator Hawley has lied to his constituents, undermined our democracy, and violated his oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution.
Add your name to the petition demanding his resignation.
Missouri Legislature Goes Back to Work
While insurrectionists were attacking the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. last Wednesday, the Missouri Legislature convened for the 101st General Assembly. Legislators will generally be in Jefferson City Monday afternoon through Thursday afternoons until mid-May. The Missouri Constitution requires the Legislature to pass a budget by Friday, May 7 and adjourn by 6:00 p.m. on Friday, May 14.
As always, we are ready to work together to build power and fight for Missourians’ reproductive freedom. Given that we remain in a pandemic, we will continue to be creative in how we help you engage with our elected representatives. Know that you can contact your legislators at any time by calling their office, sending them an email, or connecting with them on social media — and we’ve done our best to make this easy by compiling all of their information in one place on our website!
You can also check out our 2021 Bill Summary to see which bills we’re focused on. We track legislation in three categories: bills we support, bills we oppose that would harm Missourians’ sexual and reproductive health, and bills we oppose because they negatively impact Planned Parenthood patients more broadly.
And now, for a bright spot...
Kawanna Shannon on the Cover of the Riverfront Times
St. Louis’ alt-weekly newspaper The Riverfront Times profiled Kawanna Shannon, the director of surgical services at Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri. They spent a workday with her and discussed her work at the only health center in Missouri that provides safe, legal abortion: Reproductive Health Services of the St. Louis Region.
“I am leading a team of people who care about people, and that's enough for me."
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