PLANNED PARENTHOOD ACTION FUND STATEMENT ON SENATOR BARACK OBAMA’S VICE-PRESIDENTIAL SELECTION

Planned Parenthood applauds Barack Obama’s choice of Senator Joe Biden as his vice-presidential nominee.

Senator Biden is, and has always been, a strong supporter of women’s rights and women’s health care. Improving access to quality health care for women, protecting Roe v. Wade and supporting comprehensive sex education programs to keep our young people healthy and safe are of the utmost importance to Senators Obama and Biden.

Senator Biden has a long-standing record of promoting programs that provide commonsense solutions and support women’s health. He has repeatedly voted for funding that would help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and was a co-sponsor of the Prevention First Act, a bill that would ensure access to and funding for contraception.

During an April 2007 presidential debate, Senator Biden — a candidate at the time — said, “I strongly support Roe v. Wade.” His actions in the Senate demonstrate his convictions. He worked intensely to try to defeat the nominations of both U.S Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.

We are confident that an Obama-Biden White House would prove to be one committed to ensuring women’s access to affordable, high-quality health care and protecting a women's right to choose. Planned Parenthood is excited about the opportunity of having true partners in the White House committed to protecting women’s health.