“Once again, Planned Parenthood is in court, fighting against requirements for high quality care for women, willing to invest in attorneys’ fees, but not in women’s health,” said AUL’s Clarke Forsythe. “They seem to be reading Monday’s decision from the Supreme Court as giving them a blank check.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. (06-30-16) – Following news that Planned Parenthood has launched a campaign to attack health and safety regulations in 8 states “with more to come,” Americans United for Life’s Acting President and Senior Counsel Clarke Forsythe made the following statement: “The Supreme Court’s decision in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt on Monday will drive down medical standards in abortion clinics in states across the country. Unlike any other area of American medicine, the abortion industry wants to self regulate, asking women to trust by never verify. It’s clear that the abortion industry wants the respectability of the medical profession while refusing to uphold the same high medical standards others comply with, always fighting to keep profits high and standards low. Planned Parenthood consistently will invest in lawyers but not in the health and safety of women. Their latest financial report indicates that revenues exceeded expenses by nearly $60 million dollars. Isn’t that enough profit from American taxpayers? And one thing that taxpayers need to understand is that if Planned Parenthood’s attorneys win in any of the 8 states, taxpayers will pay the attorneys fees.”
Planned Parenthood announced that its campaign will begin in Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
For more than 15 years, AUL has led the nationwide effort to combat a dangerous abortion industry, advocating for meaningful and comprehensive regulation and oversight of abortion providers across the nation. Currently, 29 states regulate (to widely varying degrees) abortion facilities, and only 6 of these states require abortion clinics to meet the same health and safety standards as facilities performing other outpatient surgeries. Further, 15 states require individual abortion providers or abortion facilities to maintain either hospital admitting privileges or a transfer agreement with a third-party physician who maintains such privileges.
In response to the ruling on Monday, AUL Vice President of Legal Affairs noted, “Today’s abortion clinics are the true ‘back alleys’ of abortion mythology. They consistently operate in the ‘red light district’ of American medicine where the problem of substandard abortion providers is longstanding and pervasive. The fight against this public health crisis will continue, despite today’s ruling.”
To learn more about the health risks of abortion for all women, click here.
To learn more about health and safety standards that protect women from dangerous abortion clinic conditions, check out AUL’s Women’s Protection Project here.
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