Planned Parenthood Federation Issues Statement on Knight Craft Nomination

NEW YORK, May 3 -- The Planned Parenthood Federation of America issued the following statement by Jacqueline Ayers, vice president of government relations and public policy, on the Trump administration's nomination of Kelly Knight Craft for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations:

"It is clear that the Trump-Pence administration sees the U.S. Ambassador to the UN as nothing more than a mouthpiece to amplify and impose its dangerous ideology to the rest of the world.

"As the permanent representative to the U.N., the U.S. Ambassador plays a privileged and important role in defining and representing U.S. interests on the global stage and advising the president on key foreign policy decisions.

"Under Nikki Haley's tenure in this vital position, the U.S. attacked the rights of refugees, LGBTQ people, and other communities for which the role is intended to advocate, a position the Trump-Pence administration has doubled down on since her departure.

"Kelly Knight Craft has limited diplomatic experience aside from her current role as U.S. Ambassador to Canada. We will be monitoring her hearing and hope to hear from her whether she will represent the people or follow in her predecessor's footsteps and work to take away people's health and rights around the world.

Craft will face a Senate confirmation hearing in the coming weeks. If confirmed she will assume the post, vacated last year by Nikki Haley. Under Ambassador Haley and her interim successor, the office:

- Stripped language affirming the right for survivors of rape to access sexual and reproductive health care in a U.N. Security Council resolution

- Appointed LGBTQ hate groups to serve on the 2017 U.S. delegation to the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women

- Supported banning U.S. funding for UNFPA, the U.N. agency which supports reproductive and maternal health in over 150 countries

- Rolled back U.S. foreign policy positions promoting access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights

- Deputized U.S. delegates like Valerie Huber (HHS) and Bethany Kozma (USAID) to outline the administration's anti-women's agenda throughout negotiations at the Commission on the Status of Women. At a closed-door event, according to reports, Kozma said the "U.S. is a pro-life nation."