Planned Parenthood Action Fund Endorses Missouri’s Jason Kander in Senate Race
For Immediate Release: Aug. 11, 2016
Washington, D.C. – Planned Parenthood Action Fund today endorsed Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander for U.S. Senate. Kander’s strong record of support for reproductive rights and the care provided at Planned Parenthood health centers stands in stark contrast to Senator Roy Blunt, who received national condemnation after trying to force through an effort known as the “Blunt Amendment”, which would have allowed a woman’s employer to deny her access to birth control coverage through her insurance.
Throughout his career in public service, Jason Kander has been committed to pro-women’s health policies, consistently voting against bills in the State Legislature that would restrict women's access to health care and limit their choices.
Kander quickly came to Planned Parenthood’s defense when extremist politicians targeted the care provided to tens of thousands of women Missouri health centers and millions across the country, standing against wrongheaded Congressional efforts to defund Planned Parenthood and decrying politicians who made women’s health care a political punching bag.
Statement from Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund
“Jason Kander knows that government has no place between a woman and her doctor, and his record of standing up for access to health care is what Missourians need in the Senate. He stands in stark contrast to Roy Blunt, who has been playing Washington politics at the expense of Missouri women for far too long – repeatedly attempting to block access to essential health care services like birth control. It’s time he is held accountable at the ballot box.”
Blunt voted to defund Planned Parenthood seven times in Congress – including three in just the last year – while thousands of his very own constituents saw their essential health care access rolled back. Just recently, Blunt voted for a partisan bill that should have provided relief to the Zika crisis but instead targeted the ability of family planning clinics to provide care during a public health crisis that is having devastating effects on women and families. The bill also would have taken money from the Ebola crisis and cut $500 million from the Affordable Care Act. Roy Blunt has also been a steadfast supporter of Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump, and shares Trump’s commitment to appointing justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade.