Planned Parenthood Supporters Bring the Fight to Congress’ Home Towns

At hundreds of events across the country, Planned Parenthood supporters stormed town halls, showed up at district offices and even convened their own town halls to tell politicians that they will not stand for attacks on access to care at Planned Parenthood.

ARIZONA - Dozens of Planned Parenthood supporters crammed into a southern Arizona church to share their stories and confront Rep. McSally about attacks on access to care at Planned Parenthood.

NORTH DAKOTA -  Representative Kevin Cramer from North Dakota was asked why he is supporting legislation that would block North Dakotans from accessing care at Planned Parenthood health centers and is educated by a Planned Parenthood patient on the care provided in North Dakota

CALIFORNIA - Dozens of Planned Parenthood patients and supporters share their stories with Rep. McClintock at a packed town hall.

Calaveras Enterprise: Tom McClintock's town hall meeting draws a divided crowd

• Julie Orth of Sonora, said that the reason she hasn’t needed an abortion is because she had access to Planned Parenthood.

• Shirley Campbell warned the congressman that, “I, and millions of women in this country, will not be pushed back, sir.”

GEORGIA -  So many people showed up to Rep. Buddy Carter’s town hall that “hundreds crowded into the front lobby of the Armstrong Center, some carrying signs and wearing t-shirts for a number of causes from Planned Parenthood supporters to supporters of the Affordable Care Act.”

UTAH - In Utah, a Planned Parenthood patient directly asked Chaffetz this question and Chaffetz was subsequently booed for his answer that he would defund PP.

TENNESSEE -- At Marsha Blackburn’s town hall in Fairview, Tennessee, Planned Parenthood patient Grecia Magdaleno shared through tears, how Planned Parenthood saved her life.

NEVADA - In Nevada, hundreds of angry protesters lined the streets outside of a private luncheon Senator Heller held in lieu of an open town hall, demanding he actually speak with the people he is supposed to be representing.

PENNSYLVANIA  - Senator Pat Toomey staunchly refuses to hold a town hall in Pennsylvania, so his constituents decided to hold one even if he didn’t bother to show up. Shouts of “What do we want? Health care! When do we want it? Now!” rang through the crowd. Constituents took turns asking questions and sharing stories with an empty suit hung up at the front of the auditorium where Sen. Toomey would have stood... if he had shown up.

Planned Parenthood supporters also went directly to Senator Toomey’s Office to share their concerns. According to the Patriot News, “Leslie Hall, organizer of the Harrisburg event, said Planned Parenthood supporters have attempted to call and email the senator about plans to defund the organization. Since their calls and emails have gone unreturned, they decided to try to meet with the senator themselves.”

WEST VIRGINIA -- In West Virginia,  Rep. Jenkins’ constituents rallied out front of his office in support of Planned Parenthood and demanded their representative face his constituents who are furious at his attacks on health care.

LOUISIANA - In Louisiana, hundreds of protesters, many in pink, surrounded Sen. Cassidy’s town hall and demanded he stop attacking the health care that millions of people rely on.

NEW JERSEY - In New Jersey, nearly a thousand people packed inside an auditorium and demanded Representative Lance protect the ACA and Planned Parenthood. Rep. Lance mischaracterized how health care funding works as he stumbled to defend blocking 2.5 million patients from receiving life saving care, and his constituents were not letting him get away with it.

FLORIDA - In Florida, crowds gathered outside of Representative Mast’s office in support of Planned Parenthood to show the new politician that his constituents won't be silent as their health care is attacked. Students at Florida International University also held a rally on campus to tell Congress how devastating it would be for their health if they could no longer turn to Planned Parenthood.

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