Kerry, 19 Senators Support Vice President Biden’s Efforts to Protect Planned Parenthood Funding...

Kerry, 19 Senators Support Vice President Biden’s Efforts to Protect Planned Parenthood Funding in Budget Negotiations

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) led 19 Democratic Senators today in a letter supporting Vice President Joe Biden’s efforts to reject ideological agenda provisions from being included in the final budget negotiations for Fiscal Year 2011 and to maintain funding for life saving medical care for women.

Earlier this month, Senator Kerry authored an opinion piece in Framingham, Massachusetts’ MetroWest Daily News to highlight the real dangers of slashing Planned Parenthood funding. Each year, Planned Parenthood provides nearly one million screenings for cervical cancer, more than 830,000 breast exams, nearly four million tests and treatments for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

Today’s letter was co-signed by Senators Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Carl Levin (D-Mich.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

“This ideological agenda cloaked in a budget document isn't even good fiscal policy – as you know, preventative care saves taxpayers dollars in the long run and studies indicate that every dollar invested ends up saving $3.74 of health-related costs to federal and state governments. As a matter of creating jobs and bolstering the economy, this rider would have the opposite effect: not only will health centers be forced to close but many uninsured women and their families also may go without care, become more ill, and be kept away from their jobs,” wrote the senators.