McCrory Breaks Promise to NC Women, Signing Wildly Unpopular Legislation

Planned Parenthood Action Fund Warns NC Politicians: “We’re in it for the Long Run”

McCrory Breaks Promise to NC Women, Signing Wildly Unpopular Legislation

WASHINGTON — Planned Parenthood Action Fund released the following statement condemning North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory for breaking his campaign promise and signing into law deeply unpopular legislation that could dramatically restrict access to abortion. Doctors and medical experts agree that the bill does nothing to improve the health or safety of women.

In response to the attacks in North Carolina and beyond, the Action Fund pledges to hold politicians accountable for efforts to restrict women’s access to health care, and work to elect leaders who will stand up for women.

Already, over 57,000 people – from all 50 states – have signed onto the Action Fund’s “In it for the long run” petition that say’s “the fight to defend women's health and rights isn't over, and we're in it for the long run.”

Following is a statement from Cecile Richards, President, Planned Parenthood Action Fund:

“It is appalling that Governor McCrory would go back on his campaign promise and sign into law legislation that is on the wrong side of public opinion and dangerous for women’s health. Over the last month, North Carolina women have stood up to fight back and they aren’t just going to stand by and take this – they’re going to take the energy and enthusiasm that has been built here and run with it.

“While today is a sad day for the people of North Carolina and beyond, the fight is not over. The record number of sneak attacks on women’s health in North Carolina, Texas and beyond has created a whole new generation of activists who are ready to hold their elected officials accountable. To harness that energy, the Action Fund has launched a new ‘in it for the long run’ initiative to mobilize people across the country to fight this type of legislation and commit to defeating politicians who oppose women’s health and support leaders who stand with women. This is just the beginning.”

BACKGROUND

Over the past three weeks, thousands of North Carolinians have rallied at the Capitol, called and petitioned their legislators and organized on social media to send a clear, powerful, unmistakable message: that women don’t want politicians to meddle in their personal medical decisions. Last week, 35,000 petition signatures from North Carolinians were personally delivered to Gov. McCrory urging him to veto this bill.
The North Carolina Section of The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the North Carolina Obstetrical and Gynecological Society (NCOGS) issued a joint statement in firm opposition to Senate Bill 132 (SB 132) and Senate Bill 353 (SB 353). “Both of these bills taken together have one purpose: To restrict the reproductive rights of women in North Carolina by interfering with the practice of medicine,” says ACOG Executive Vice President Hal C. Lawrence III, MD. “As we’ve seen in several other states, legislators in North Carolina are getting between women and their doctors. ACOG stands behind our ob-gyn colleagues in North Carolina as well as the women of North Carolina and urges politicians there to reject both of these measures.”
Dozens of local elected officials, including mayors, city council members and county commissioners added their voices to the opposition against SB 383 by releasing an open letter to Governor McCrory urging him to veto these sweeping restrictions. The local elected officials specifically pointed out how the measure strips county and city employees of abortion coverage in their health plans and bans local decision-makers from negotiating for comprehensive health plans appropriate for their staff.
Recent polling found that the majority of North Carolina voters oppose this bill, with 80 percent opposing the underhanded tactics used by the legislature to jam it through.