Joe Heck Keeps Trying to Cover Up His Horrible Record of Opposing Support for Rape Victims

For Immediate Release: Nov. 7, 2016

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Las Vegas, NV —  Joe Heck is now touting his co-sponsorship of the International Violence Against Women Act, to hide his otherwise horrible record, which includes opposing support for rape victims. He incorrectly calls defunding Planned Parenthood health centers directing “funding to community health centers,” skipping over the fact that he voted to defund Planned Parenthood eight times, putting the health of thousands of Nevadans at risk.

In fact, Heck has voted to defund Planned Parenthood eight times -- blocking Nevadans from the health care they need as well as the sexual assault and intimate partner violence screenings that Planned Parenthood provides. He has also voted and cosponsored legislation that would ban rape victims from access to abortion care and allow criminal penalties for doctors.

Quote from Dawn Laguens, head of Planned Parenthood Votes:

“Joe Heck is dangerous for women, and he’s dangerous for victims of sexual assault. He has voted eight times to defund Planned Parenthood, denying thousands of Nevadan women access to health care services they need, and he has opposed legislation that would support sexual assault survivors throughout his career.  Joe Heck is not a champion for women -- he’s a desperate politician trying not to lose.”

Watch here

As a member of the House, Joe Heck has voted against funding to test rape kits and help victims of sexual assault. When he was a state senator, Heck voted against funding for a rape crisis center and domestic violence prevention program. His campaign’s excuse was that he didn’t have time to read the bill.

This is not his first attempt to hide his horrible record.

Just last month, in a desperate attempt to distance himself from Donald Trump’s sexual assault allegations, he released another video that falsely touts him as a champion for sexual assault and domestic violence victims.

Earlier in this election cycle, Heck’s Washington allies went up with false and ruthless attack ads against Catherine Cortez Masto. In reality, Catherine Cortez Masto has a long record of fighting for sexual assault victims and is a fierce advocate in the fight against human trafficking

Joe Heck may be a doctor, but he lacks the compassion needed to adequately address rape victims’ concerns and meet their health care needs. And it’s not just in instances of rape -- Joe Heck has a horrible record on women’s health care overall. When it comes to health care, Heck votes like a DC Republican — not a doctor:

 

• Rep. Joe Heck has brought DC Republicans’ extreme agenda to Nevada, defying the American people and voting  eight times to block patients from care at Planned Parenthood health centers.

• Heck would roll back the progress we’ve made, and doesn’t understand or care about women’s lives. He said his opposition to the ACA's birth control benefit, which ensures that women have access to no-copay birth control, has "nothing to do" with women's health.

• Heck cosponsored a bill that would expand the power of employers, insurance providers and hospital corporations to deny coverage of services such as birth control. It could even allow an insurance company to refuse all coverage to LGBTQ patients.

• Heck voted to cut Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps and reduce the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which now ensures more than 8 million children across the U.S. are covered by health insurance.

• In Congress, Heck cosponsored dangerous so-called “personhood” legislation that could have outlawed some forms of birth control.

• Heck voted to block consideration of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would have addressed the gender pay gap.