Monday Monitor: April 1, 2019

Defunding = Discrimination

Abortion-obsessed politicians are trying to “defund” Planned Parenthood by blocking Missourians from vital preventive care, like birth control, cancer screenings, and STI testing and treatment.

Let's be clear: “Defunding” is discrimination. It is singling out patients who rely on public health care programs like Medicaid and blocking them from getting their preventive care at Planned Parenthood health centers. The House has sent the Senate a budget that has the discriminatory “defunding” language in it. Tell your state lawmakers to protect patients and oppose any measure that “defunds” Planned Parenthood!

Spread the Word to #StopTheBans!

Anti-abortion politicians in the Missouri Legislature are considering some of the most extreme abortion bans in the nation. Both House Bill 126 and Senate Bill 279 would ban abortion as early as six weeks — before most people even know they are pregnant. The bills also contain a ban on abortion later in pregnancy and a “trigger ban” that would ban abortion and criminalize doctors if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.

Take action: write your legislators and share this link with your networks: bit.ly/StopTheBansInMO

Want to do more? Sign up for a phone bank near you:

Springfield Stop The Bans Phone Bank: 4:30-7:30 p.m. on Mon. April 8
Kansas City Stop The Bans Phone Bank: 5:30-8:00 p.m. on Mon. April 8
St. Louis Stop The Bans Phone Bank: 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Mon. April 8

Recap: Planned Parenthood Lobby Day

More than 50 Planned Parenthood supporters from across the state traveled to Jefferson City to advocate for Missourians’ sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Before meeting with lawmakers to talk about specific bills, the advocates held a demonstration in the Capitol’s Third Floor Rotunda. The action called attention to the Legislature’s inaction in the face of a statewide outbreak of syphilis.

Over the past several years, Missouri has seen a statewide increase of more than 200% in syphilis cases, a devastating illness once thought dormant. Nearly 30 Missouri counties have seen a triple-digit percentage increase in syphilis cases since 2015, including a 349% increase in House Speaker Elijah Haahr’s home county of Greene.

Not only are legislators ignoring this public health emergency, they are actively making it worse with their attempt to “defund” Planned Parenthood and block patients from accessing STI testing and treatment. Planned Parenthood health centers in Missouri provided nearly 80,000 testing and treatment services for STIs, including syphilis, last year.

After the demonstration, the citizen-lobbyists fanned out across the Capitol to hold 40 in-person, small group meetings with legislators in the House and Senate.

One participant said: “[My favorite part was] making a personal connection with Eric Burlison and getting through to him by appealing to his religion... Burlison may have been giving us some lip service, but I do think we found some common ground, will hopefully get his support on the period bill”

Another participant commented: “[One of my] favorite parts were getting to inform some legislators about bills that maybe soon coming before them; think we actually schooled some of them”

Chocolate for Choice Fundraiser in Columbia

You’re invited to Chocolate for Choice in Columbia on Wednesday, April 10, to celebrate and support Planned Parenthood Great Plains! Visit with PPGP CEO Dr. Brandon Hill and Columbia health center staff to learn more about the programs and services your support makes possible in Columbia.

Together, we’ll have an evening of fun featuring heavy hors d'oeuvres, beer, wine, and CHOCOLATE with like-minded friends, old and new! All proceeds benefit PPGP’s Columbia health center.

RSVP to Chocolate for Choice: 5:30 p.m. on Wed. April 10

Volunteer Near You!

Clean Defense St. Louis Phone Bank: 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Wed. April 3
Columbia Action Council Meeting: 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Thurs. April 4
Springfield Movie Screening and Letter Writing Campaign: 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Tues. April 9

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