July 13, 2011

Statement by Tanya Atkinson, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin Executive Director, on last night’s primary victories:

“Planned Parenthood will miss Chris Taylor, but we couldn’t be more proud of her campaign and her win last night (Assembly District 48 special election primary). Her fearless leadership and bold vision have transformed the movement for women’s health and reproductive justice in Wisconsin.

“In addition, all six Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin-endorsed Senate candidate won their primaries, indicating that Wisconsin voters will not stand for the rapid succession attacks on women’s health waged by Governor Walker and his anti-women’s health allies in the Legislature.

• The power over Medicaid procedures has been shifted away from elected representatives of the people to gubernatorial appointees
• Governor Walker and Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee have put our entire BadgerCare Family Planning Program at risk. The program serves 57,000 Wisconsinites with reproductive health care including cancer screenings, birth control and STD testing and treatment from uninsured women.
• The Joint Finance Committee also defunded Planned Parenthood health centers that provide critical and lifesaving preventive health care to more than 12,000 uninsured women
• Anti-choice Republicans have introduced and held a hearing on a bill to ban private insurance coverage of abortion care in the health insurance exchange, which women from purchasing health insurance to meet their needs with their own money

“Wisconsin will be so lucky to have Chris Taylor fighting for women’s health in the Capitol. We need a voice and a fighter like her now more than ever. And we are very optimistic that the state Senate will soon be, once again, led by champions on women’s health.”