ICYMI: Planned Parenthood Action Fund Prez Joins VP Harris on Dobbs Anniversary in Maryland
For Immediate Release: June 24, 2024
COLLEGE PARK, MD — Today, on the two year anniversary of the Dobbs decision, Planned Parenthood Action Fund president and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson joined Vice President Kamala Harris and reproductive rights leaders at the University of Maryland to rally support for reproductive freedom.
In addition to Vice President Harris, McGill Johnson was joined by Angela Alsobrooks, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maryland, who was endorsed by Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Other speakers included Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Reproductive Freedom for All President Mini Timmaraju, Rep. Glenn F. Ivey (D-MD-04) and reproductive rights advocate Kate Cox.
“Make no mistake…it’s always been about power and control at the expense of our bodies, our lives, and our futures. And there’s one person, and one person alone who is responsible for this moment. And that is Donald Trump. If he gets back into power, he will be coming for a national abortion ban,” said McGill Johnson at the rally. “But President Biden and Vice President Harris are fighting every single day to safeguard our rights. They have spent four years protecting patients and providers, pushing back on our opponents, showing up for us in court, and defending freedom and democracy…We must fight like hell to get them back to the White House.”
President Biden and Vice President Harris have consistently served as a much-needed backstop against dangerous efforts to further roll back reproductive health care and rights. Earlier this year, Vice President Harris became the first sitting Vice President to visit a Planned Parenthood health center.
“In the case of the stealing of reproductive freedom from the women of America, Donald Trump is guilty,” said Vice President Harris at this morning’s rally. “And over the past two years we have seen the impact of these Trump abortion bans. The horrific, heartbreaking reality that women have been facing every single day in our country. Women have been refused care during a miscarriage, turned away from the emergency room, and only given care when they developed sepsis. We have seen attacks on IVF. Women denied the freedom to make some of the most personal decisions in their lives. And understand, as much harm as he has already caused, a second Trump term would be even worse.”
Since Dobbs, politicians in 21 states have banned some or all abortions. Forty-three percent of women of reproductive age, including over 54% of Black women, live in those states. Opponents have also been working to restrict access to mifepristone, a safe and effective drug used for medication abortion, and attempted to take away young people’s confidential access to birth control across the country. Meanwhile, the majority of people in the U.S. continue to support abortion rights.
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Planned Parenthood Action Fund is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit membership organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The Action Fund engages in educational, advocacy, and limited electoral activity, including grassroots organizing, legislative advocacy, and voter education.