Florida House Committee Spreads Misinformation While Attacking Women’s Reproductive Rights

For Immediate Release: Jan. 30, 2014

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(West Palm Beach) - “Rep. Ron Renuart (R-Ponte Vedra Beach) and Rep. Liz Porter’s (R-Lake City) attack on Planned Parenthood just doesn’t add up.  The truth is that 97 percent of Planned Parenthood’s work is to give women access to the reproductive health services that they need to stay healthy – and to avoid unintended pregnancies,” said Lillian Tamayo, President\CEO of Planned Parenthood and the Treasure Coast.  “Too many of our legislators are more interested in promoting their extreme anti-choice agenda than they are in the truth.”

 

During the Health & Human Services committee hearing today, Rep. Renuart misstated that almost 37 percent of the total income of Planned Parenthood is from abortions and suggested that the organization opposes anti-choice bills because “they don’t want to lose business.”  Rep. Porter during her closing remarks on a bill to mandate an ultrasound prior to abortion also misstated that “the real objections of organizations like Planned Parenthood [to this bill]… is fear of the effect to their bottom line.” Earlier this month, a member of the U.S. Congress cited inaccurate statistics about the services Planned Parenthood provides.

 

“No matter how many times lawmakers repeat outright lies, the fact remains that 97 percent of Planned Parenthood’s work is focused on lifesaving preventative health services,” said Tamayo.  “Legislators should get their facts straight – even if the truth is inconvenient.”

 

Each year, Planned Parenthood affiliates in Florida provide:

 

·        Birth control to 52,759 patients

·        13,988 emergency contraception kits

·        Nearly 20,000 pregnancy tests

·        More than 22,000 Pap tests, detecting and preventing possible cancers

·        More than 19,000 breast exams, helping alert patients to possible cancers

·        More than 86,000 tests and treatments for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV education programs to more than 108,000 people

 

Annually, Planned Parenthood in Florida serves 81,176 women, men and teens.

 

“Florida needs Planned Parenthood – especially during these tough economic times, when Floridians face high unemployment rates and many don’t have health insurance,” Tamayo said.  “Our legislators should stop attacking Planned Parenthood and, instead, work with us to reduce unintended pregnancies and support women’s reproductive health and rights.”

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The mission of Planned Parenthood of South Florida and the Treasure Coast is to provide comprehensive sexual health care through the provision of clinical services, education and advocacy. We do so by understanding and responding to the needs of those seeking our services, and by protecting and respecting the essential privacy rights, dignity and culture of each individual.

www.ppsoflo.org