Planned Parenthood Supporters Take to the Streets Nationwide to Protest Graham-Cassidy-Heller Bill
For Immediate Release: Sept. 25, 2017
WASHINGTON D.C. - Over the last 72 hours, Planned Parenthood patient advocates and supporters rallied at over 50 events across the country and on social media to oppose the Graham-Cassidy-Heller proposal. On Twitter during the Senate Finance hearing, #StandWithPP and #IStandWithPP together generated over 2 million impressions. Planned Parenthood supporters have been an overwhelming force of opposition to attempts to repeal Obamacare and block access to care at Planned Parenthood health centers.
Women and their families travelled to Washington D.C. to share their stories and speak in strong opposition to the Graham-Cassidy-Heller bill. The Graham-Cassidy-Heller bill would be devastating for women and their families — allowing insurance companies to stop covering birth control, potentially leaving 13 million women without maternity care, and preventing millions of Medicaid patients from getting basic health care at Planned Parenthood.
The American people overwhelmingly don’t want to see the Graham-Cassidy-Heller bill passed into law, and it’s opposed by major medical associations and major health insurance groups. In fact, the American Medical Association said they cannot support the bill because it violates the medical oath to “first do no harm.” Congress should listen to medical experts and the American people, and focus on bipartisan fixes to expand access to care, not take health care away.
Since January, Planned Parenthood has gained over a million supporters that have helped make more than 350,000 phone calls to members of Congress, and hold over 2,700 events across the country.
In Washington, DC: On Monday, Planned Parenthood and MomsRising held a press conference on Capitol Hill with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Senator Ben Cardin to speak out about how Graham-Cassidy-Heller would devastate women and families. Mothers, women, and children came together to share their Planned Parenthood stories and hold a ‘children’s markup’ of the newly released Graham-Cassidy-Heller bill.
Last Tuesday, Planned Parenthood Action Fund and MoveOn.org co-sponsored a rally on the Hill to protest Graham-Cassidy-Heller. Planned Parenthood supporters were joined by Senators and coalition partners in a show of solidarity and strength.
On social media: Planned Parenthood patients and supporters across the country sounded off on social media against the Graham-Cassidy bill –– including Zoey Deutch, Sarah Hyland, Mayim Bialik, Retta, Annabeth Gish, Jenny Slate, and Padma Lakshmi. #DoNoHarm was the number one trend in Washington, DC during the health care hearing and #StandwithPP had over 10 million impressions online throughout the day.
In Alaska: Today, four Alaskan patients sent Sen. Murkowski a letter urging her to stay strong, and an Alaska patient was on the Hill, making her voice heard. Over the weekend, Planned Parenthood supporters saw Sen. Murkowski at a farmers market in Alaska and thanked her for her support. On Tuesday night, Planned Parenthood and Protect Our Care coalition partners rallied outside of Senator Murkowski's offices in Anchorage, Juneau, and Fairbanks.
In Maine: Planned Parenthood volunteers and supporters were out in full force at the Common Ground Country Fair this weekend and did "stop and dials" to Sen Collins.
In West Virginia: Planned Parenthood supporters joined other organizations to voice their opposition to the Graham-Cassidy-Heller proposal all across the state. Today, dozens rallied in Martinsburg. On Sunday, over 40 folks gathered outside of Sen. Capito’s Charleston office. And dozens more gathered to protest the bill in Ranson over the weekend.
In Colorado: Over 200 folks showed up outside of Sen. Gardner’s office in Denver to voice their opposition to the bill. This comes on the heels of phone banks last week where supporters drove phone calls into Senator Gardner’s office urging him to oppose Graham-Cassidy-Heller.
In Arizona: On Monday, Planned Parenthood supporters and coalition partners rallied outside of Senator McCain’s office in a show of opposition against Graham-Cassidy-Heller.
In Ohio: Dozens of Planned Parenthood supporters and partner organizations went to Rob Portman's Cincinnati office to tell their stories and demonstrate their opposition to the Graham-Cassidy-Heller bill. In addition, there were rallies opposing the bill across the state, including in Columbus.
In Iowa: Planned Parenthood supporters and over 150 folks from partner groups rallied at Senator Joni Ernst’s town hall to tell her face to face why they oppose Graham-Cassidy-Heller.
In New Hampshire: Planned Parenthood supporters joined Senators Shaheen and Hassan for a press conference at the Elliot Hospital in Manchester, NH to speak out against the Graham-Cassidy-Heller bill to repeal the ACA and “defund” Planned Parenthood.
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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.