Memo/Statement: Carly Fiorina represents more of the same on 2016 GOP docket
For Immediate Release: May 4, 2015
Carly Fiorina announced today that she is running for president, claiming the mantle of being a “change” candidate. However, her positions on women’s health and rights are identical to those of the other Republican contenders for president — all of whom oppose access to safe and legal abortion and have records of trying to restrict acess to affordable birth control.
Carly Fiorina on women’s health and rights:
- Repeatedly, Carly Fiorina has made clear that she opposes safe and legal abortion, and that she would work to overturn Roe v. Wade if she has the opportunity.
- Carly Fiorina vowed in 2010 to defund Planned Parenthood and cut millions of women off from lifesaving cancer screenings, STD testing and treatment, birth control, and other preventive care.
- Carly Fiorina has said that she opposes the birth control benefit in the Affordable Care Act, which requires that insurance cover birth control with no copay, just like other preventive care.
In Carly Fiorina’s own words:
- “I absolutely would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade if the opportunity presented itself.” [The New Yorker, 6/7/10]
- "I believe in the sanctity of life. I believe life begins at conception." [ABC 11, 7/29/10]
- “You may remember that I ran for the U.S. Senate in California 2010. What you may not know is that I ran as a proud, pro-life conservative. You don’t do that in California unless you really mean it.” [CSPAN, 4/25/15]
- “Liberals believe that flies are worth protecting, but the life of an unborn child is not.” [CSPAN 1/24/15]
- Sarah Palin praised Carly Fiorina for being “unabashedly pro-life.” [Christian Science Monitor, 05/14/10]
Statement from Cecile Richards, President, Planned Parenthood Action Fund:
“At Planned Parenthood Action Fund, we believe that every woman, no matter where she lives, should make her own personal, private health care decisions without interference from politicians. Carly Fiorina does not.
“Carly Fiorina has plainly stated that she opposes safe and legal abortion and that she would work to overturn Roe v. Wade if she has the opportunity; she has vowed to defund Planned Parenthood and cut millions of women off from preventive health care; and she has argued against insurance coverage for birth control.
“The contrasts in the next election will be stark, and the stakes for women’s health and rights will be significant. Carly Fiorina would roll women’s health and rights back many decades, and most Americans want to continue moving forward.”
Impact on California women:
- In 2012, 2,649,750 women in California were in need of publicly supported contraceptive services and supplies, and thanks to the birth control benefit 5,640,000 women now have access without a copay.
- In 2010, the publicly funded family planning services, including affordable birth control, provided at health care providers like Planned Parenthood, helped save $1,790,411,000 in public funds in California.
- In 2010, 393,000 California residents had an unintended pregnancy; and in the absence of the publicly supported family planning services provided at safety-net health centers, the rates of unintended pregnancy, unplanned birth and abortion would be 70 percent higher in California, and the teen pregnancy rate would be 73 percent higher.
- 16 percent of California’s counties do not have any ob-gyns.
- With 26 percent of Planned Parenthood health centers providing care in rural or medically underserved areas statewide, Planned Parenthood serves as an essential source of primary and preventive health care in California.
- In 2013, Planned Parenthood health centers located in California served 818,608 patients.
- Conducted 733,641 tests for chlamydia — the leading cause of preventable infertility — that resulted in 37,014 positive results and follow-up treatment.
- Performed 98,829 breast exams.
- Provided 672,944 patients with birth control services.
About Planned Parenthood Action Fund:
Planned Parenthood affiliates provide health care to 2.7 million patients every year — including lifesaving cancer screenings, preventive health care, birth control, and abortion services. Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading women’s health provider and advocate. Planned Parenthood Action Fund works to ensure that people continue to have access to those health care and education services — by advocating for laws and policies that protect women’s health, and educating voters about how candidates’ positions would affect women’s health.
You can view the Action Fund’s statement welcoming Hillary Rodham Clinton to the presidential field here.
If you have any questions, please contact the Planned Parenthood media line at [email protected].