Democratic Party Platform Makes Historic Commitment to Repeal Hyde
For Immediate Release: July 5, 2016
Last night, the Democratic Party in its platform draft strongly affirmed Planned Parenthood’s critical role in providing vital health care services, committed for the first time ever to repeal the harmful Hyde amendment, and made central the idea that reproductive health care is core to women’s, men’s, and young people’s health and wellbeing.
Statement from Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Action Fund:
“For the first time ever, the Democratic party has recognized that comprehensive reproductive health care — including safe, legal abortion — is central to its platform. The platform includes historic advances for women’s health, notably, the party is committed in full to repeal the harmful Hyde and Helms amendments which have for decades disproportionately affected women of color and low income women, making it more difficult for them to access safe, legal abortion.
“We also applaud the platform for affirming Planned Parenthood’s critical role in communities in the face of unprecedented attacks on reproductive health at the state and Congressional levels, and the recognition that reproductive health care is core health care for women, men and young people. Without a doubt, there is more work to be done to fight these harmful laws, as well as make sure that all individuals — regardless of immigration status — have the same access to care.
“In a week that has seen medically unnecessary restrictions to abortion access topple across the country with a landmark Supreme Court decision, Planned Parenthood is more committed than ever to working alongside Hillary Clinton as well as our elected leaders to see that this platform becomes a reality, turning our focus to policies that help, not harm, those who seek care.”