Scott Walker Issues "Latest in a Long Line of Attacks" on Women's Health
Bills cut millions in funding to Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed into law on Thursday two bills that slash millions in funding for Planned Parenthood, which the organization slammed as "the latest in a long line of attacks" on women's health.
He signed the bills at a faith-based, "abortion alternative" resource center.
"It really is disingenuous to be talking about cuts to healthcare at an organization that provides religious counseling, but no healthcare," Nicole Safar, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin director of government relations, told the Associated Press.
One bill would restrict the group's ability to purchase prescription drugs at reduced costs, costing the organization roughly $4.5 million. The other would bar the state from providing Title X family planning grant funds to the organization because it provides abortions. That would mean a loss of $3.5 million for the group.
"The move was the latest in a long line of attacks by the Governor and the Republican controlled state Legislature on the health of Wisconsin women and families," the organization said in a statement.
The Journal Sentinel adds: "The measures come four years after Republicans made other funding cuts to Planned Parenthood, which the group says led to the closure of five rural clinics that provided birth control and health screenings but not abortions."
The new laws come less than a month after the 43rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, when reproductive rights groups highlighted ongoing attacks on the right to an abortion--which, according to polling, go against public sentiment.
"The anti-choice movement...is not the majority in this country," stated Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America.
"Seven in 10 Americans support our rights to safe and legal abortion. And we will not be silenced by a small but vocal minority," she said, adding, "The last thing we need is a rubber stamp on the erosion of reproductive rights until they become rights in theory only--inaccessible to millions of American women because of their income level or zipcode."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed into law on Thursday two bills that slash millions in funding for Planned Parenthood, which the organization slammed as "the latest in a long line of attacks" on women's health.
He signed the bills at a faith-based, "abortion alternative" resource center.
"It really is disingenuous to be talking about cuts to healthcare at an organization that provides religious counseling, but no healthcare," Nicole Safar, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin director of government relations, told the Associated Press.
One bill would restrict the group's ability to purchase prescription drugs at reduced costs, costing the organization roughly $4.5 million. The other would bar the state from providing Title X family planning grant funds to the organization because it provides abortions. That would mean a loss of $3.5 million for the group.
"The move was the latest in a long line of attacks by the Governor and the Republican controlled state Legislature on the health of Wisconsin women and families," the organization said in a statement.
The Journal Sentinel adds: "The measures come four years after Republicans made other funding cuts to Planned Parenthood, which the group says led to the closure of five rural clinics that provided birth control and health screenings but not abortions."
The new laws come less than a month after the 43rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, when reproductive rights groups highlighted ongoing attacks on the right to an abortion--which, according to polling, go against public sentiment.
"The anti-choice movement...is not the majority in this country," stated Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America.
"Seven in 10 Americans support our rights to safe and legal abortion. And we will not be silenced by a small but vocal minority," she said, adding, "The last thing we need is a rubber stamp on the erosion of reproductive rights until they become rights in theory only--inaccessible to millions of American women because of their income level or zipcode."
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed into law on Thursday two bills that slash millions in funding for Planned Parenthood, which the organization slammed as "the latest in a long line of attacks" on women's health.
He signed the bills at a faith-based, "abortion alternative" resource center.
"It really is disingenuous to be talking about cuts to healthcare at an organization that provides religious counseling, but no healthcare," Nicole Safar, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin director of government relations, told the Associated Press.
One bill would restrict the group's ability to purchase prescription drugs at reduced costs, costing the organization roughly $4.5 million. The other would bar the state from providing Title X family planning grant funds to the organization because it provides abortions. That would mean a loss of $3.5 million for the group.
"The move was the latest in a long line of attacks by the Governor and the Republican controlled state Legislature on the health of Wisconsin women and families," the organization said in a statement.
The Journal Sentinel adds: "The measures come four years after Republicans made other funding cuts to Planned Parenthood, which the group says led to the closure of five rural clinics that provided birth control and health screenings but not abortions."
The new laws come less than a month after the 43rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, when reproductive rights groups highlighted ongoing attacks on the right to an abortion--which, according to polling, go against public sentiment.
"The anti-choice movement...is not the majority in this country," stated Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America.
"Seven in 10 Americans support our rights to safe and legal abortion. And we will not be silenced by a small but vocal minority," she said, adding, "The last thing we need is a rubber stamp on the erosion of reproductive rights until they become rights in theory only--inaccessible to millions of American women because of their income level or zipcode."


