Rally in Solidarity on April 7th for Title X

This is a guest post from Chloe Kessinger, Project and Design Coordinator with the Center for Gender Equity at Pacific University in Forest Grove, OR. She writes about the actions her school is taking on April 7th against Title X cuts and invites other groups to do the same. They are planning a die-in to symbolize the the unacceptable number of preventable pregnancy related complications that occur every minute of every day and to highlight the importance of family planning funding. This is a great example of an action you too organize on your campus to participate in our Don’t Be Fooled by Fake Clinics Week of Action and show solidarity with the National Day of Action for Title X on April 7th as well as participating in our Birth Control Access Campaign

The elimination of Title X will cut funding not only for 900 Planned Parenthood clinics in the country, but also 4,500 other family planning clinics that utilize Title X funding to serve low-income women and men in their communities.

On April 7th there is going to be a rally in Washington D.C. to stand against the proposed elimination of Title X, but many students cannot afford to fly out and join the fight, so the Center for Gender Equity at Pacific University intends to bring the fight to local students.

On April 7th the Center for Gender Equity (CGE) will be gathering students in the University Center at Pacific University to 'drop dead' between the hours of 12 and 1 pm. This demonstration is

to raise awareness for the need of Title X funding through representing the statistic of one woman in the world dies every 60 seconds from a preventable pregnancy related complication. One student will be 'dropping dead' every 60 seconds so at the end of the hour the University Center will be full of 'dead' bodies.’ If Title X funding is taken away, and Planned Parenthood and independent women’s health clinics serving low-income women are stripped of federal funding for family planning, many more women will face these unnecessary complications.

We will also be tabling with pamphlets of information on Planned Parenthood and the value of all family planning clinics, as well as having laptops open to the website where students can sign a petition in support of Planned Parenthood. We will be encouraging people to wear pink in solidarity with Planned Parenthood.

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, "The Title X Family Planning program was enacted in 1970 as Title X of the Public Health Service Act. Title X is the only federal grant program dedicated solely to providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services. The Title X program is designed to provide access to contraceptive services, supplies and information to all who want and need them. By law, priority is given to persons from low-income families."

Last month, the House voted to completely eliminate the 40 year-old Title X Program.

Current news on the situation is that the proposal of the House was rejected by the Senate and sent back to the house for revisions. No matter what the revisions are they will be UNACCEPTABLE to both the young women of this nation and all other people who seek help from family planning clinics. No cuts are acceptable to family planning. By cutting family planning in any way the young poor people of our nation will be made to suffer more then they already are. We need to stand up with all those protesting at the White House on April 7th to show our support for Title X funding and the Planned Parenthood Organization and all women’s health care providers.

The CGE would like to invite any and all other schools and student led organizations to participate on April 7th in some way. Wearing pink, and handing out information is a good way to start spreading the word on the vital importance of organizations like Planned Parenthood.

Another Funding Cut for Woman's Health Care?

We need you to take action NOW -- TODAY.

We hope, by now, that you've heard about the two horrible bills introduced in the House that restrict abortion access and funding. The "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act" (HR3) would penalize companies--in the form of tax credits--that offer health plans that cover abortion and would deny federal subsidies to people who have abortion-covered healthcare. And the "Protect Life Act" (HR358) would "prohibit federal funds from being used to cover any part of the costs of a health plan that includes coverage of abortion services."

On top of this, the Republican led House is trying to completely eliminate the Title X Family Planning Program in the FY2011 federal budget (continuing resolution HR1).

Yes, FAMILY PLANNING in the United States is on the chop-block.

Title X is the ONLY federal funding dedicated to providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and critical related preventive health services. Title X is "designed to provide access to contraceptive services, supplies and information to all who want and need them. By law priority is give to person from low-income families." For many women across the country, this crucial family planning care is the only medical they receive each year.

According to Cecile Richards of Planned Parenthood "The real impact of eliminating the Title X program is that millions of women across the country will lose access to basic primary and preventive health care, such as lifesaving cancer screenings, contraception, STI testing and treatment, and annual exams...For every public dollar invested in family planning, taxpayers save nearly $4." Title X saves taxpayers money, and more importantly it saves women's lives.

Along with cutting $318 billion for Title X family planning, check out just a few of the other programs the continuing resolution will cut (compared to FY 2010 levels):

• $110 million from the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative (eliminating all funding)
• $1.4 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• $747 million for the Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC)
• $50 million for Maternal and Child Health Block Grants
• $1.6 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  Thanks to SIECUS for this budget analysis:

WE CAN NOT STAND FOR THIS. TAKE ACTION NOW!

So what can we do to have our voices heard?

We ask you to join in solidarity with Choice USA as part of a National Youth Call-In. Please call your Representatives TODAY and let them know you support reproductive justice.

Call 800-600-5774 and ask for your Representative. (Don't know who your rep is? Go here and type in your zip code to find out.)

Here's a sample script to guide your call:

As a young person/student living in _________ (city/state/district), I am calling Representative ___________ to urge him/her to vote ‘no’ on HR 3 , the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act and HR 358, the Protect Life Act. In addition, I strongly urge __________ to not vote to cut funding for Title X Family Planning, the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative, and other programs for women and children. Abortion access, preventative services, and health and wellness programs are vitally important to young people's lives. As a young person that votes in this district, I believe that taking away insurance coverage for abortion and family planning services disproportionately hurts young people, who are more likely to live in poverty and at a higher risk for unintended pregnancy. We should be protecting the health and decision-making power of young people, not stripping it away. In short, these restrictions hurt everyone. Young people voted in record numbers in the past two elections for more jobs. We want and need jobs, not restricted reproductive healthcare. If you support us now by voting down HR 3 and HR 358, we will support you by giving you our votes in 2012. Please vote with young people, not against us. Do you know if Representative ___________ is planning to oppose these bills?

Call your reps, and make the youth voice heard!! Tell all your friends about these draconian bills and encourage them to call in, too!

P.S. Don't forget to wear a silver ribbon to show solidarity for reproductive rights.