Saturday Marks One-Year Anniversary of Pence Vote
Wow. Do you remember the “Pence Amendment?”
A year ago tomorrow, Congress, led by Indiana’s own Mike Pence, voted to bar Planned Parenthood from providing preventive health care through federal programs.
Fortunately, President Obama and a bipartisan Senate stood up for women’s health on April 14, 2011, and blocked the House of Representatives’ extreme proposal.
It’s frightening to think that if far-right members of Congress had gotten their way, millions of people would have lost access to preventive health care, including birth control, cancer screenings, STD testing and treatment, and annual exams at their preferred health care provider.
One positive thing that came from the Pence vote, though, was that supporters of quality health care for women became acutely aware of what some members of Congress were up to. They started paying close attention to what has turned out to be an ongoing assault on women’s rights.
If you’re among those who are now keeping track of who’s got our back this election year, be sure to check out Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s Women are Watching campaign. You’ll learn which elected officials and candidates stand for women’s health, and who needs to be held accountable for their actions.
We’re certain that Hoosiers will remember what Congressman Pence started a year ago, and they’ll take those memories to the voting booth in November. (Let’s not EVER forget that Mr. Pence is now running for our state’s governor!)
Congressman Pence shouldn’t be playing politics with women’s health. He should know that we are watching. And we’ll be voting.
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