February 23, 2021 — In the midst of compounding crises, Lt. Gov. Patrick released his 31 legislative priorities focused on political attacks that do nothing to alleviate the suffering of working families across Texas. Patrick’s priorities include attacking access to abortion, discriminating against transgender athletes, undermining public schools and state-mandated voter suppression.
Statement of Dyana Limon-Mercado, Executive Director, Planned Parenthood Texas Votes
“Millions of Texans went without power, water and food for days last week due to the crippling winter storm and we are still in the middle of a global pandemic. Texans, working families, single parents, essential workers and people living paycheck to paycheck are facing one crisis after another and desperately need real leadership at this moment. Gov. Abbott and Lt. Gov. Patrick refuse to be held accountable and repeatedly try to distract from their failures. Texans are exhausted, not just from last week’s power and water outages and the ongoing challenges presented by COVID-19, but by state leaders who willingly neglect their duties and play political games with our very lives.
“It was clear even before last week’s devastating winter storm and the pandemic that Texans need more access to health care. Now, in the middle of disaster recovery efforts, Lt. Gov. Patrick wants to ban abortion at six weeks— before most people even know they are pregnant. Planned Parenthood will never stop fighting to protect patients and their access to reproductive health care, including abortion. Just when we think state leaders can’t go any lower, Dan Patrick throws out this list—nothing more than a political stunt and a weak attempt to save face with his base, while Texans still need essential health care and critical community support. Dan Patrick might as well have gone to Cancun with Ted Cruz if he couldn't find anything better to do.”
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Planned Parenthood Texas Votes (PPTV) is the nonpartisan policy, advocacy and political arm for the Planned Parenthood affiliates in Texas.
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