Women's health services in jeopardy

By Danielle Ohlemacher

Three million women may lose their access to birth control, cancer screenings, HIV testing and other lifesaving care if House Republicans have their way.

The House is voting this week on legislation that would eliminate Title X funding for family planning services to organizations that also perform abortions with private money. They are doing this despite the fact that no Title X money goes to fund abortion care already.

The truth is that Title X funds basic health care for millions of women, including cervical cancer screenings, STD testing and treatment, and birth control.

The major target of this bill is Planned Parenthood, admits Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., the sponsor of the bill. This is a shortsighted attack on an organization that provides millions of women each year with critical education and lifesaving health care. In fact, 83 percent of the services Planned Parenthood provides are preventive. This includes services such as breast and cervical cancer screenings and STD testing and treatment. It is ironic that Congressman Pence and the Republican leadership would attack Planned Parenthood, which does more than any other organization to prevent the need for abortions.

Further restrictions on Title X funding would do nothing to prevent abortion and might, in fact, actually increase the number of unwanted pregnancies, many of which may end in abortion. Millions of women depend on Planned Parenthood for birth control, and their access should not be jeopardized simply because Republicans don’t like what Planned Parenthood does with separate, private money.

Abortion is a legal service. And there is already a prohibition on using federal dollars to fund abortion care. But we should not throw away other important preventative services that are absolutely vital to women’s health simply because we disagree about abortion.

For many women, especially in rural areas, Planned Parenthood health centers are their only access to health care, including basic services such as Pap smears and birth control.

Republicans are wrong to target Title X funding for women’s health care. A recent poll has shown that more than 70 percent of voters oppose the effect of this bill. Republicans need to be reminded that they weren’t elected to limit women’s health, but rather to create job growth and a stronger economy.

Undoubtedly, many students on this campus have relied on Planned Parenthood at some point in time. If you’ve never been to Planned Parenthood, chances are your girlfriend, sister, best friend or even your mother has. The truth is that one in five women in the United States has visited a Planned Parenthood health center at some time in their life.

Take action at www.plannedparenthoodaction.org to protect women’s access to birth control and reproductive health care.

Ohlemacher is a fourth-year political science student.

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