In Resounding Victory for Women, Grassroots Power Defeats Trumpcare
Planned Parenthood Grassroots Activists Refused to Let Bill Pass
Nicole Safar.
Washington, DC — In a tremendous victory for women’s health, the Senate failed to pass Trumpcare.
The bill was defeated by a bipartisan vote, with every Senate Democrat, including women’s health champion Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), voting against the bill as well as Republican Senators Collins (R-ME), McCain (R-AZ) and Murkowski (R-AK), who stood with the women of this country.
Trumpcare was the worst bill for women in a generation and would have cut off access to vital health care services, disproportionately impacting women who already face unfair barriers to care, especially low-income women and women of color. Trumpcare would have blocked millions – including 50,000 in Wisconsin alone – from accessing birth control and cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood health centers, increased premiums by 20% and taken away health insurance from tens of millions of Americans.
That’s why Planned Parenthood supporters joined a vocal, persistent opposition to Trumpcare from day one. For months, an army of pink-clad Planned Parenthood patients, supporters, and advocates organized thousands of actions from coast to coast — including rallies, speak-outs at congressional town halls, phone banks, petition deliveries to congressional offices, and field hearings.
Over the last several months, Planned Parenthood supporters have:
- Made more than 200,000 phone calls to members of Congress
- Organized more than 2,200 events across the country, including rallies, petition drops, phone banks, and marches
- Delivered over one million petition signatures to members of Congress in opposition to “defunding” Planned Parenthood.
All told, Planned Parenthood grassroots organizing has been a driving force in the successful, bipartisan effort to stop Trumpcare and protect people’s access to Planned Parenthood.
Statement from Nicole Safar, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin:
“Women stopped this bill in its tracks. Since day one, women have led the opposition, from organizing rallies and marches to flooding congressional town halls and hosting weekly phone banks. Americans across the country joined the rallying cry against this dangerous bill, rose up in opposition, and never let up. Against all odds, grassroots organizing defeated Trumpcare. We know this is the beginning, not the end, of fighting for what we believe in — but it’s an important moment to celebrate this massive mobilization and reflect on the fact that today 8,118 women will get their health care at Planned Parenthood.
“We hope that today, more members of Congress will reflect on the disastrous political decision to oppose women’s access to affordable health care. This Congress — and this country — witnessed a never-before-seen groundswell of activism in response to politicians’ efforts to jam through the worst bill for women in a generation. The clear message to Congress is they will no longer get away with putting politics before our communities.
“All of the activists who called their members of Congress – some every single day – everyone who marched, who spoke out and told their story, made a difference. Together we defeated this dangerous legislation that would have blocked Medicaid patients from preventive care at Planned Parenthood. Because of you, tens of millions of people are no longer about to lose the health care that they and their families rely on. Today’s victory is a powerful reminder that, together, our voices have the power change the world.”
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin is the advocacy arm of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. PPAWI engages in legislative and educational activity and works to elect candidates to office that support these goals.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
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