NOW-NYS Decries Obama Stimulus-Package Family-Planning Cuts

ALBANY, NY (01/27/2009)(readMedia)-- The Obama Economic Stimulus Package provides the states with Medicaid matching funds to cover such conditions as diabetes, heart surgery and ongoing health maintenance like asthma medication. Until today, the Package also included family planning funds for poor women.

Although most conservatives say they firmly support family planning, this is certainly not the case. For, in spite of the fact that safe birth control is extremely acceptable to most Americans, and in spite of the fact that the prevailing majority attitude is that it is irresponsible to have sex without contraception unless pregnancy is intended, conservative Republicans have now pressured President Obama and the Congress to remove contraceptive funding from the Stimulus Package.

Meanwhile, because it is generally acknowledged worldwide that family planning has a positive effect on economic development, President Obama is restoring UNPFA (International Family Planning funds), and has lifted the Bush Administration's Global Gag Rule that banned US funds to organizations who even counseled about abortion. We of NOW-New York State say it is beyond hypocrisy to restore international family planning funds while eliminating such monies for poor women in the United States.

Our Congress is prepared to roll over and play dead when women's lives are literally hanging in the balance. Surely this is not the time to sit back, pretending we have a government friendly to women. Indeed, in spite of promises to the contrary, women's bodies are being held hostage once again.

What does this say? It says that women's lives are still being used as political footballs, and this by a President thought to be on the side of justice for women.