Murray Calls On President Trump to Turn Words Into Action, Protect Women’s Access to Reproductive Health Care in First Budget

Congressional Documents & Publications

(Washington, D.C.) - Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), top Democrat on the Senate HELP Committee, today sent a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to stand with "millions of women and men" nationwide and uphold women's reproductive rights and access to reproductive health care in his first budget.

"As someone committed to continuing the advancement of women in every aspect of life and to expanded access to women's health care, I must stress the importance of building your support for women's health, rights, and opportunity into this budget," wrote Murray.

In the letter, Murray writes that President Trump's budget is his opportunity to "put into action" previous commitments to "invest in women's health," as well as his recognition that Planned Parenthood helps "millions of women."

Murray further lays out several principles for President Trump's budget: protecting and expanding women's access to affordable health care, including comprehensive reproductive health care; ensuring women's constitutional right to safe and legal abortion services; and funding providers that enable women to access the contraception that works best for them, like Planned Parenthood and other family planning health centers.

"Without full reproductive rights and access to reproductive health care, women would not have the opportunities we do today. Millions of women and men in America recognize and embrace this simple truth. I sincerely hope that you will too."

The full text of the letter is below and HERE https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/FINAL%20TRUMP%20BUDGET.pdf.

March 15, 2017

The Honorable Donald J. Trump

President

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President,

The economic security of women and families is directly tied to a woman's access to reproductive health care. As the United States Supreme Court said, "The ability of women to participate equally in the economic and social life of the Nation has been facilitated by their ability to control their reproductive lives."[1] As someone committed to continuing the advancement of women in every aspect of life and to expanded access to women's health care, I must stress the importance of building your support for women's health, rights, and opportunity into this budget.

Unintended pregnancies are at a 30-year low and teen pregnancy is at its lowest point in history. This progress is a direct result of the advancement and availability of preventive services for women, including investments in affordable and accessible birth control through important family planning programs like Title X and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program. Further, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, 55 million women now have access to birth control with no out of pocket costs. The ability to plan for childbirth has empowered women and strengthened families' economic security. Despite the popularity of this important health care for women and families, it is continually under threat.

You have in the past made claims about your commitment to "invest in women's health" and your recognition that "millions of women are helped by Planned Parenthood"[2]. In your first budget as President, you have the opportunity to put these claims into action.

I urge you to adhere to the following principles and investments, which I believe are foundational to any credible commitment to women's health:

* Allowing women to make their own decisions about their own health care;

* Protecting and expanding women's access to affordable health care, including comprehensive reproductive health care;

* Ensuring women's constitutional right to safe and legal abortion services; and

* Funding providers that enable women to access the contraception that works best for them, like Planned Parenthood and other family planning health centers.

Without full reproductive rights and access to reproductive health care, women would not have the opportunities we do today. Millions of women and men in America recognize and embrace this simple truth. I sincerely hope that you will too.

[1] Planned Parenthood of Se. Pa. v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833, 856 (1992).

[2] https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/06/us/politics/planned-parenthood.html

Read this original document at: https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/murray-calls-on-president-trump-to-turn-words-into-action-protect-womens-access-to-reproductive-health-care-in-first-budget-