Planned Parenthood Supporters Out in Force for July Recess

Washington, DC -  During the July Congressional recess, Planned Parenthood supporters will be out in force across the country to send a message to Senators: Vote no on Trumpcare and protect our access to care at Planned Parenthood. Since most Senators will not be holding town halls, Planned Parenthood supporters will be speaking out and making their voice heard in over 100 events nationwide.  

Supporters in communities across the country will be holding phone banks, attending parades in pink, dropping off petitions at local member offices, canvassing to spread the word about opposing Trumpcare, and organizing airport sendoffs when members head back to DC.

In addition, supporters will be employing an innovative tactic called “Stop and Dial.” Volunteers will attend large community events and engage with the crowd, and ask them to stop and dial their Senators, right on the spot, and tell them to oppose Trumpcare and protect access to care at Planned Parenthood.

Another innovative visibility tactic supporters will employ is the Banner Rise. As many eyes will be on the sky awaiting fireworks this recess, some supporters will be using helium balloons to raise a Planned Parenthood banner into the sky.

Planned Parenthood will have events from coast to coast, including in Alaska, Arizona, Maine, Nevada, and West Virginia.

Planned Parenthood grassroots organizing has already been a driving force in opposing Trumpcare and efforts to “defund” Planned Parenthood. For months, an army of pink Planned Parenthood patients, supporters, and advocates have taken thousands of actions from coast to coast including protest rallies, spoking out at Congressional town halls, calling their members of Congress, delivering petitions to Congressional offices, and hosting field hearings.

Over the last several months, Planned Parenthood supporters have:

• Made more than 175,000 phone calls to members of Congress

• Organized more than 2,200 events across the country

• Delivered over 1 million petition signatures to members of Congress in opposition to  “defunding” Planned Parenthood.

It’s clear that Americans don’t want to see Congress block people from accessing preventive care at Planned Parenthood. Just this week, a new Quinnipiac University poll showed that 80% of American voters oppose “defunding” Planned Parenthood, including 67% of Republicans. This support for the care Planned Parenthood provides has stayed consistent over time. In March of this year, a Quinnipiac poll also found that 80% of voters oppose so-called “defunding” Planned Parenthood.

Statement from Dawn Laguens, Executive Vice President for Planned Parenthood Action Fund

Senators may be going home over the Fourth of July, but for the millions of people who stand to lose access to care, or face higher costs, or lose maternity coverage because of Trumpcare, there is no rest, and there is no recess.

"Planned Parenthood supporters will be out in force during the July recess, speaking out against the worst bill for women’s health and demanding their Senators vote no on Trumpcare.

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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 and electoral activity, including voter education, grassroots organizing, and legislative advocacy.