Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-22) Thursday held a press conference to rally support of Planned Parenthood in light of renewed Congressional attempts to defund the organization that, for nearly a century, has been a critical provider of essential preventative and lifesaving healthcare for men, women, and children.

“These continued attacks on Planned Parenthood are another spoke in the wheel that extremists are using to run over women in this country,” Frankel said. “We will continue to fight back so we never have to go back.”

Joining Congresswoman Frankel in speaking out for women’s health were West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio; Laura Goodhue, Executive Director of the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates and Vice President for Public Policy and Communications of Planned Parenthood of South, East, and North Florida; and Arleen Ustin, President of the Palm Beach County Chapter of the National Organization for Women. Local Planned Parenthood advocates Kheyanna Suarez and Diane Macias also shared their stories of what the organization means to them.

A longtime supporter of Planned Parenthood, Congresswoman Frankel consistently fights attempts in Congress to block women’s access to healthcare. Last month, she issued a statement defending Planned Parenthood against a politically-motivated smear campaign. In May, Congresswoman Frankel took to the House floor to speak out against a harmful bill that would restrict women’s access to safe and legal abortion.

Background: Planned Parenthood’s Services

In 2013, Planned Parenthood provided the following preventative services:

• Nearly 400,000 Pap tests
• Nearly 500,000 breast exams
• Nearly 4.5 million STI tests and treatments, including HIV tests

Eliminating Planned Parenthood’s federal funding would jeopardize the health of millions of people, especially individuals living in poverty or in rural areas.

• In 2013, Planned Parenthood served 2.7 million women, men, and young people.
• Over half of Planned Parenthood’s facilities are in rural or underserved areas, and for millions of people, Planned Parenthood is their only resource for reproductive healthcare.
• Sixty percent of Planned Parenthood’s patients depend on the federal Title X and Medicaid programs for their healthcare.
  • For those low-income Americans who cannot afford health insurance, Title X, the only federal grant program for family planning, is their only access to effective contraception, counseling, and related reproductive health services.
  • Many of the low-income individuals who rely on Medicaid for their health insurance also rely on Planned Parenthood for their healthcare. Cutting off their access to Planned Parenthood clinics would severely compromise their health.

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