Planned Parenthood Condemns Trump and Republican Leadership For Shutting Down the U.S. Government
For Immediate Release: Jan. 19, 2018
As a Result of Inaction By Republican Leaders, 800,000 DACA Recipients Continue to Live in Fear of Deportation, Millions of Children Have No Insurance, and People Around the Country May Be Unable to Access Health Care
Planned Parenthood: “Trump and the Republican leadership own this shutdown.”
WASHINGTON - Planned Parenthood Action Fund released the following statement after Trump and congressional Republicans shut down the U.S. government because of their inability to pass a spending bill. Republican leadership’s inaction leaves at least 800,000 Dreamers and immigrant youth who have grown up in the United States at risk of deportation. It also means that nine million children could lose health insurance due to the failure to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program. This comes after congressional Republican leaders spent months on unpopular and dangerous attacks on access to women’s health care and care at Planned Parenthood.
Tonight’s failure also means that the future of expired programs, like maternal child health home visiting programs and funding for evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs under the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP), is in limbo.
Statement from Dawn Laguens, Executive Vice President, Planned Parenthood Action Fund:
The failure of Trump and the Republican leadership to keep the government running is an outrage. Instead, Republican leadership wasted months attacking access to health care for millions, including trying to block women from getting preventive care at Planned Parenthood.
“Republican leadership also spent months ignoring the Children’s Health Insurance Program and other critical programs that need to be extended. We will not be quiet as children’s health insurance coverage and coverage for pregnant women is on the line.
“President Trump’s decision to rescind DACA did irreparable harm to communities that already face discrimination and barriers to accessing health care in this country. It will result in millions of families being ripped apart. Congress and Trump have had multiple opportunities to right this wrong, and they have failed.
“Trump and the Republican leadership own this shutdown.
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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 voter education, grassroots organizing, and legislative advocacy.