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PRESIDENT BUSH URGED TO ISSUE DOMESTIC GAG RULE
Title X helps women avoid more than one million unintended pregnancies a year, more than half of which would end in an abortion.
More than 80 anti-choice organizations recently urged President Bush to reinstate a 20-year-old Reagan-era domestic gag rule that would prohibit Title X (ten) family planning health centers from providing counseling or referrals concerning abortion. Led by the ultra-conservative Family Research Council, these extremist organizations are trying to restrict access to basic health care for millions of women and men who depend on safety-net family planning providers.
Title X of the Public Health Service Act was signed into law by President Nixon in 1970. It is the only national program dedicated entirely to funding reproductive health care services for low-income women. Title X is administered through state health departments and regional agencies, helping more than 4,500 health care clinics nationwide. Its use for abortions is prohibited.
Title X funded clinics provide confidential reproductive health services including: pelvic exams and cancer screening Pap smears; testing for high blood pressure, anemia and diabetes; testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections; non-coercive contraception services; and non-directive counseling for pregnant women.
Title X helps clinics provide basic reproductive health care to more than five million low-income American women a year. A typical Title X patient is in her 20s, with an income below the federal poverty line of $10,400 a year and no health insurance. In addition to a Pap smear, breast exam and contraception, she will typically receive testing for sexually transmitted infections and treatment if necessary. For 80% of these women, a family planning clinic is their only source of health care.
Thirteen of PPNT's 29 clinics receive funding through Title X, including clinics in Arlington, Corsicana, Fort Worth, Gainesville, Lewisville, Mesquite, Paris, Plano, Terrell and Tyler.
In addition to providing basic health care to low-income women, Title X saves the public money. Every dollar spent to provide family planning services saves an estimated three dollars in Medicaid costs for pregnancy-related care and medical care for newborns in the first year. Plus, reproductive health care helps catch manageable conditions and infections before they become more advanced, dangerous and expensive to treat.
In 1988, President Reagan imposed a domestic gag rule preventing Title X providers from informing pregnant women about their full range of health care options, including abortion. Although the Supreme Court upheld Reagan's gag rule, it was never fully implemented because former President Clinton issued an executive order overturning the rule.
A new domestic gag rule would be nothing more than an attempt to undermine the Title X program and women's access to health care. Contact your Congressional representatives and urge them to support Title X as it currently exists. Find out who represents you.
MOTHER/DAUGHTER VOLUNTEERS
Diane Hollingsworth and her mother Donna are two dedicated volunteers of PPNT's Public Affairs efforts. They are longtime supporters of Planned Parenthood's efforts to reach both legislators and the public. As Diane says, between her, her mother and her sister, they have "been marching a long time." She has attended Lobby Day in Austin several times, taking time off from work to do so, even when her employer had differing views from hers.
Diane and her mother are also models for those who want to do more in the fight for access to affordable reproductive health care, and through PPNT Public Affairs outreach efforts, they have found more ways to do that.
Donna grew up and raised a family in Oklahoma, becoming intensely involved in the women's movement when it reached the Sooner state in the mid-1970s. She lobbied, marched and gave speeches for groups such as the National Women's Political Caucus and the National Organization for Women. She also spoke in support of the Equal Rights Amendment.
Oklahoma was primarily rural then, when state laws still disallowed a widow from even inheriting her husband's land. But Donna was at the forefront of efforts to give women a more equal stake in life.
"She was at the state Capitol building every day they were in session," says Diane proudly.
More recently, Diane and her mother have been glad to be involved with PPNT. Diane says, "I wanted to do something more besides writing letters and giving money."
Diane attends PPNT volunteer nights to help with Public Affairs projects and campaigns, and this year she and Donna heeded the call for volunteers to decorate and walk with PPNT's float entered in the Greenville Avenue St. Patrick's Day parade in Dallas.
Diane and Donna dressed for the occasion and walked the entire route with the float, carrying signs and handing out beads to the crowd. They drove in early that morning from North Richland Hills for the event.
"My mom, who is 74, was excited and proud to walk the whole route, and she was very happy to see a new generation of young women taking up the torch," said Diane. "We got great support and feedback from the crowd-a lot of thumbs-up and applause. One man even smiled and shouted to us, 'Planned Parenthood saved my life!' We had a great time."
Donna and Diane continue to look for new ways to support the mission of Planned Parenthood of North Texas. If you would like to become more involved, we want to hear from you. Join the Action Network and learn what you can do to improve and protect access to reproductive health care for everyone.
PRESIDENT THROW A HOUSE PARTY!
This September, Planned Parenthood is planning a solid month of events to support our mission and reach out to the public. Our 30 Days, 30 Ways events will include a number of House Party events which we hope you will want to attend.
House Parties are informal meet-and-greet events in peoples' homes that allow PPNT supporters, volunteers and staff to gather and learn more about issues that affect our mission to provide reproductive health care and sexuality education.
The events are always a team effort, with other volunteers, Board members and staff pitching in to supply refreshments, snacks and manpower. PPNT senior staff and guest experts give short talks on subjects that are important to the mission of Planned Parenthood-current legislation effecting access to reproductive health care, sex education in public schools, emergency contraception, the scope of services provided at PPNT clinics.
Each party is an opportunity to learn, discuss and ask questions with those who share in the struggle for the achievement of parenthood by choice. It is a perfect chance to become more knowledgeable and more involved in a friendly, casual setting.
If you would like to get involved by offering to host a House Party in your home, please let us know at info.public@ppnt.org.
ELECTION SEASON - BE INFORMED!
With national elections coming this fall, now is the time to prepare yourself for the issues and the candidates whose fates will be in your hands. In addition to the information available in the Advocacy section of this website and our Action Network communiqués, here are some useful sources for keeping up with the state of the union.
sos.state.tx.us/elections/index.shtml
Run by Secretary of State Phil Wilson, the chief election officer for Texas. Instructions and links on finding existing registration, registering online or by mail, election deadlines and dates, registration for overseas citizens and military personnel, and where to vote.
capitol.state.tx.us
Information on contacting legislators, tracking bills, signing up for bill alerts, basics of our legislative process, and details on our House and Senate.
lwvtexas.org
League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan organization founded in 1920 to effect public policy through citizen education and advocacy.
votesmart.org
Billed as the "voter's self defense system," helps voters access nonpartisan, accurate, relevant information about elected officials, candidates and ballot initiatives in all 50 states.
PPNT SUCCESSFULLY "MEETS THE NEED" IN 2008
Thanks to the generosity of our supporters and staff, PPNT was able to donate 1,900 pounds of childcare supplies to North Texas displaced and homeless women and their children just in time for Mother's Day this year!
The 4th annual Meet the Need for Moms in May donation drive gathered hundreds of new and unused items such as diapers and infant clothes, socks and sleepwear, soap, and foodstuffs, and exceeded our 2007 drive by almost a third. Online and in-person funding given also exceeded last year's efforts, totaling about $3,500-all given by individual donors.
PPNT delivered almost 900 pounds of children's clothes, diapers and baby formula to The Vogel Alcove in Dallas, more than 600 pounds of supplies to SafeHaven of Tarrant County in Fort Worth, and more than 400 pounds of diapers, personal care items and foodstuffs to Hope's Door in Plano.
Thank you for making Meet the Need for Moms in May a success. Your thoughtfulness helped make this Mother's Day a little easier for North Texas' less fortunate moms.
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