FPA E-Newsletter
February 2010
Contents:
• CEO Corner
• Governor spares family planning grant from cuts in proposed 2010-11 budget
• Planned Parenthood responds to Super Bowl ad by anti-choice group
• Welcoming Swift Justice in Kansas Murder Trial of Scott Roeder
• Family Health Care Decisions Act Advances to State Senate
• FPA's Immigrant Women's Health Initiative Travels to Chile
• Federal Budget Includes Teen Pregnancy Prevention Funding
• Current and Upcoming Concerned Clergy for Choice Initiatives
• Save the Date!
• Women's Health Matters: A Day of Action Highlights
Fate of health care reform remains uncertain
On Wednesday, January 20th, FPA staff joined leaders in family planning from around the state and country for the third national Lobby Day on Health Care Reform in Washington, D.C. Initially, the purpose of the day was to once again raise our concerns about the Nelson and Stupak amendments, during what was anticipated to be the final days of health care reform discussions.
However, the fate of health care reform took a major blow when Democrat Martha Coakley was defeated by conservative Republican Scott Brown in Massachusetts’ recent special election for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by Ted Kennedy. The Democrats, as a result, lost their 60-40 “supermajority” in the Senate, rendering it unlikely that either the House or Senate reform bills will have enough support to pass.
From our meetings with New York’s congressional delegation in D.C., we learned that a potential strategy for moving forward with reform could be to pass a scaled back package, or series of bills, addressing key issues including prohibition of pre-existing conditions, gender discrimination, etc.
As we wait for a strategy to emerge from either house, FPA will continue to share our support for health care reform with members of the New York delegation and prepare to respond once a strategy is determined.
We are grateful to New York’s leaders in family planning, including Planned Parenthood Nassau County CEO JoAnn D. Smith and Planned Parenthood of New York City CEO Joan Malin, and many of our coalition partners, who traveled to D.C. to support comprehensive health care reform. Please keep a look out for future emails calling you to action.
Best,
M. Tracey Brooks
President & CEO
Governor spares family planning grant from cuts in proposed 2010-11 budget
Governor Paterson’s 2010-11 budget proposal, released on Tuesday, January 19th, does not propose further cuts to family planning funding. Thanks to your ongoing advocacy efforts, FPA’s message that funding family planning is smart budgeting and essential to protecting women’s health care was heard loudly and clearly by the Governor.
Still, despite retaining our current levels of funding in the Governor’s budget proposal, family planning funding has decreased from 2009 levels. When the Governor’s deficit reduction plan was passed in December 2009 to address the state's continuing fiscal crisis, funding for distribution of emergency contraception (EC) and the HPV vaccine, as well as certain other 2009 line items were cut.
The New York State Assembly and Senate are now developing their own budget proposalsand working toward passage of the state's 2010-11 budget by April 1. Budget negotiations among the Governor and legislative leadership will be complicated by reports this week that in the first quarter of this year, the state is experiencing a $750 million shortfall, although there are some who believe that the number is even higher. To protect family planning funding from any further cuts to our core services, please respond again when we call on you to advocate for family planning funding in the future.
Planned Parenthood responds to Super Bowl ad by anti-choice group
The Super Bowl ad being run by the anti-choice group Focus on the Family has generated a lot of controversy. It features star athlete Tim Tebow and his mom talking about a deeply personal medical decision she made years ago, when she decided to continue her pregnancy against medical advice, due to what had been diagnosed as a high-risk pregnancy.
Despite the controversy, the Planned Parenthood Action Fund believes the issue is very simple. We strongly support the right of every woman — including Mrs. Tebow — to make important personal medical decisions for herself.
Watch this video featuring athletes Sean James and Al Joyner, two strong advocates for women's health. And then, share it with your friends!
Family Planning Advocates Welcomes Swift Justice in Scott Roeder Murder Trial in Kansas
While the prochoice community continues to mourn the loss of Dr. George Tiller of (photo right) Kansas , FPA is relieved that justice has been served in the first-degree murder conviction of Scott Roeder on Friday, January 29th. In just 37 minutes, the jury affirmed Roeder's guilt in the shooting death of Dr. Tiller last May.
In 2009, New York State lawmakers took a very clear position that New York does not stand for violence against this state's reproductive health care community. FPA worked with Assemblyman Sam Hoyt (D-Grand Island) on his introduction of The Protections for Reproductive Health Care Act, which was expediently passed and signed into law by Gov. Paterson. The law enhances penalties for anyone who causes injury to reproductive health care providers, staff, volunteers or patients in the course of violating New York's clinic access law.
"This conviction reinforces the strongly held American value that violence is never the solution to our differences," said Family Planning Advocates President and CEO M. Tracey Brooks.
Family Health Care Decisions Act Advances to the State Senate
The Family Health Care Decisions Act, legislation that grants medical decision making authority to loved ones of an incapacitated patient who does not have a health care proxy or other advance directive, overwhelmingly passed the New York State Assembly last week by a vote of 132-4.
New York is considered to be one of the most restrictive states in the nation for end-of-life decision-making by surrogates, and the anticipated passage of this legislation by the Senate will bring to a close an 18-year effort by FPA and other partners to ensure families have the ability to carry out the final wishes of their loved ones.
The bill unanimously passed the Senate Health Committee and has now moved on to the Codes Committee. We expect it will soon move to the Senate floor for a full vote.
FPA's Immigrant Women's Health Initiative travels to Chile
In January, director of the Immigrant Women's Health Initiative (IWHI), Dr. Grace Mose, traveled to Chile to attend EPES' International Training Course on Popular Education in Health, which was directed by former FPA vice president of public policy Karen Anderson. The international training attracted participants from Colombia, Honduras, Peru, Canada, the United States and Chile.
The training provided its participants strategies to promote and expand the right to health to poor and underserved communities in Chile and other nations. Dr. Mose left Chile equipped with many new ideas for strengthening community access to comprehensive health care inspired by successful methods used in the local communities of Santiago and Concepicion, Chile.
Federal Budget Includes Teen Pregnancy Prevention Funding
In December of 2009, $114.5 million in funding was approved in the federal budget for a new Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative. The new initiative will provide funding to public and private entities for evidence-based programs proven to be effective in preventing teen pregnancies.
It is still unclear exactly which programs will be eligible for funding, however, our national partners expect the federal government will release a request for proposals some time this spring.
Current and Upcoming Concerned Clergy for Choice Initiatives
The recent national health care reform initiative demonstrates the determination of faith-driven, anti-abortion groups to curtail access to abortion care. As the debate in Congress and across the nation progressed, Concerned Clergy for Choice expanded the faith-based, pro-choice moral perspective in the media supporting the inclusion of abortion care in national health reform and protesting the Stupak and Nelson insurance restrictions.
Concerned Clergy is now re-energized at working to safeguard and expand access to reproductive care.
Click here to become a fan of Concerned Clergy for Choice on Facebook.
March 15 Get the Facts NY Youth Leadership Conference
Join hundreds of teens and college students from across New York State to learn important advocacy skills and how your voice can impact elected officials and other decision makers when it comes to reproductive and sexual health and justice issues. Click here to learn more about our Get the Facts NY campaign.
April 21 Concerned Clergy For Choice Advocacy Day
Pro-choice clergy and religious advocates from across New York State will meet in Albany to bring their faith-based views to elected officials. Join us to raise our collective voices for progressive public policies that protect access to reproductive health care and the diversity of New York’s religious views.
Click here to learn more about Concerned Clergy for Choice.
Women's Health Matters: A Day of Action Highlights on YouTube
Thank you to everyone who attended FPA's Women's Health Matters: a day of action. If you missed hearing the incredible support from our elected leaders at on January 11, 2010, you can click here to see our video highlight on youtube.
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