Planned Parenthood Action Fund Endorses Marie Newman for Illinois’ 3rd District

Washington D.C. – Planned Parenthood Action Fund today issued its first endorsement of the 2018 election cycle, endorsing Marie Newman for U.S. Representative in Illinois’ 3rd District.

Marie Newman has made it clear that she will be a champion for women, and she stands firm in her belief that women should be able to make their own decisions about their bodies. Newman supports the lifesaving care provided by Planned Parenthood health centers, and she believes health care is a right, not a privilege.

In contrast, Dan Lipinski has voted time and time again against the health and livelihoods of Illinois women. As a co-chair of the Pro-Life Caucus, Lipinski’s tenure has been punctuated by extreme efforts to ban safe, legal abortion. During his 13 years in the House, Lipinski has voted against women's health more than three dozen times, and he has a 23 percent rating from Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

Statement from Cecile Richards, President, Planned Parenthood Action Fund:

“Planned Parenthood Action Fund is proud to endorse Marie Newman for the U.S. House of Representatives. Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District needs a champion who will fight for women’s rights and access to reproductive health care. Newman trusts women and knows that women are the best ones to make their own health care decisions — not politicians in Congress.

“In contrast, Dan Lipinski has time and time again tried to take away women’s access to health care. He voted multiple times to ban abortion, block patients from coming to Planned Parenthood health centers for care, and cut women’s essential health care benefits. Dan Lipinski’s views on women’s health are akin to those of President Trump and Vice President Pence – extreme, dangerous, and woefully out of touch.

“It’s clear that the people of Illinois’ 3rd District cannot afford to have someone like Lipinski in office. Instead they need a champion like Marie Newman, who will fight for the patients who depend on Planned Parenthood health centers.”

Statement from Jennifer Welch, President & CEO, Planned Parenthood Illinois Action:

“Marie Newman is a proven leader. She will defend a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions, protect patients’ access to care at Planned Parenthood health centers, and fight for women and families in the U.S. House of Representatives. Illinois needs champions like Marie Newman in Congress.” 

Dan Lipinski has time and time again voted to block access to safe and legal abortion and to restrict women’s access to health care. His actions have put the health and well-being of Illinois women at risk:

• He voted to “defund” Planned Parenthood seven times, as recently as September 2015, and in February 2017 he voted to prevent health care providers from participating in the nation’s program for affordable birth control and reproductive health care, simply because they also provide abortion;
• He voted to ban abortion nearly half a dozen times and is vehemently anti-abortion, claiming that “‘without the right to life, no other rights can exist”;
• Lipinski cosponsored legislation that would allow discrimination against LGBTQ people and people who have sex outside of marriage;
• He cosponsored the infamous “forcible rape” abortion ban that attempted to restrict the definition of rape for the purposes of allowing abortion;
• He cosponsored legislation that would allow hospitals to deny women abortions, even when the woman’s life was in danger.
• In January 2018, he voted for an unnecessary, inflammatory abortion ban, H.R. 4712, that criminalizes abortion providers, despite medical providers categorizing this legislation as a “gross  interference in the practice of medicine”;
• He is supported by Susan B. Anthony List, an extreme anti-women’s health organization which has given him at least $50,000.
• His anti-women, anti-LGBTQ views and votes are a turnoff for his voters. In fact, a December 2017 poll shows that only 38 percent of constituents polled want to re-elect him.

Marie Newman is the only candidate in the race prioritizing women and families at a time when reproductive rights are under greater threat than ever before.

###

Planned Parenthood Action Fund is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit membership organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The Action Fund engages in educational and electoral activity, including grassroots organizing, legislative advocacy, and voter education.