Rep. Judy Chu Condemns Anti-Woman Vote on House Floor

Press Release

Rep. Judy Chu, D-CA32, today issued the following statement regarding passage of an amendment to prohibit all federal funding from going to Planned Parenthood or any of its affiliates.

"I was incredibly disheartened to see my House colleagues pass the Pence Amendment. Preventing unintended pregnancies through any means available, including abortion, is a goal in which both pro-choice and anti-choice lawmakers should agree. But the anti-woman Pence Amendment attacks Planned Parenthood, a successful organization that provides critical women's health care and thus jeopardizes women's access to affordable primary and reproductive care."

"Planned Parenthood is a critical safety net for women around the country. It has helped improve the quality of women's health, given women free choice and also saved lives. These drastic cuts will only hurt American women when they need help paying for basic services the most."

"It is clear that the real Republican agenda is to rollback women's health and steal away their rights. This Congress and this bill should be about creating jobs, not attacking American women."

Across the country, one in five American women have been to a Planned Parenthood health center for care -- for services like breast and cervical cancer screening, and women's health services, such as STD testing and treatment, birth control and family planning. And 6 in 10 women who access care from a health center like Planned Parenthood consider it to be their main source of health care.

There are 110 Planned Parenthood centers located in California and 18 here in Los Angeles County. Last year, Planned Parenthood provided over 180,000 cervical cancer screenings and over 160,000 breast exams in Los Angeles alone. Planned Parenthood provides affordable health care to women and families. Over 76% of the Los Angeles Planned Parenthood patients are below the Federal Poverty Line.

Representative Judy Chu was elected in July 2009 to the U.S. House of Representatives as the Representative of California's 32nd District, which includes East Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley. She is a member of the House Judiciary and Small Business Committees, as well as the new chair of CAPAC.

Congresswoman Chu's career in politics spans 24 years. A lifelong educator, Congresswoman Chu taught community college classes in Los Angeles and East Los Angeles for 20 years. She holds a Ph.D. in psychology and a B.A. in mathematics.

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