We need you to tell the House Education Committee to vote “no” on HB 363!

Planned Parenthood Association of Utah is strongly opposed to this bill. With Utah’s high teen pregnancy rates and teens contracting sexually transmitted disease in alarming numbers, we should be teaching our children more about healthy sexuality and informed decision making – not less.

We also believe it is bad policy to take the control of classrooms away from the local districts who understand the unique needs of their families and students.

Please contact the legislators who serve on the House Education Committee and ask them to oppose this bill.

Contact the representatives on the House Education Committee now:

Rep. Francis D. Gibson, Chair – fgibson@le.utah.gov – 801-491-3793
Rep. Bill Wright, Vice Chair – billwright@le.utah.gov - 435-864-5970 – 801-404-7066 – 435-864-4887
Rep. Patrice M. Arent – parent@le.utah.gov – 801-272-1956 – 801-326-1515
Rep. LaVar Christensen – lavarchristensen@le.utah.gov – 801-572-9878 – 801-571-8603 – 801-550-1040
Rep. Rebecca P. Edwards – beckyedwards@le.utah.gov – 801-554-1968
Rep. Steve Eliason – seliason@le.utah.gov – 801-300-9844
Rep. Gregory H. Hughes – greghughes@le.utah.gov – 801-572-5305 – 801-548-2922
Rep. Rebecca D. Lockhart – blockhart@le.utah.gov – 801-377-7428 – 801-369-6784
Rep. John G. Mathis – jmathis@le.utah.gov – 801-377-7428 – 801-369-6784
Rep. Kay L. McIff – kaymciff@le.utah.gov – 435-896-4461 – 435-760-2618
Rep. Carol Spackman Moss – csmoss@le.utah.gov – 801-272-6507 – 801-647-8764
Rep. Merlynn T. Newbold – mnewbold@le.utah.gov – 801-254-0142
Rep. Marie H. Poulson – mariepoulson@le.utah.gov – 801-942-5390
Rep. Kraig Powell – kraigpowell@le.utah.gov – 435-657-0185
Rep. Kenneth W. Sumsion – ksumsion@le.utah.gov – 801-368-8299

If you would like more information or have any questions, please contact Heather Stringfellow at heather.stringfellow@ppau.org or 801-521-2735.

Today, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation announced that it will continue to make grant funds for breast health and education available to Planned Parenthood, which could include Planned Parenthood Association of Utah. We are gratified that Planned Parenthood’s partnership with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation will continue to make this care available to women in need.

We are also grateful for the simply astonishing outpouring of support for women’s health this week. The demonstration of the power of the people to push back and insist that Susan G. Komen of the Cure Foundation retract their decision was an incredible experience. That so many of you stood up for Planned Parenthood and the critical role that we play in providing women affordable annual exams and breast cancer screenings was truly remarkable.

Thank you for standing with Planned Parenthood, and for being a crucial part of the movement to protect and promote women’s health.

Sincerely,

Karrie Galloway, CEO

Planned Parenthood Association of Utah

It’s gone too far, and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund is doing something about it. As Election Day 2012 approaches, join us as we watch candidates on either side of the ballot. It’s as easy as taking the pledge womenarewatching.org. Tell lawmakers and candidates for office, we will not sit quietly while they attack our health and rights. Women are watching. And what we see is alarming!

Peg McEntee, Salt Lake Trib: Planned Parenthood has the right leader at the right time “A decade ago, Heather Stringfellow would come to Planned Parenthood’s board meetings with a handgun on her hip…”

Join us in thanking the HHS for this decision. They are currently accepting public comment including certain religious groups who want to be an exception to providing birth control insurance benefits for their employees. Make your voice heard. Tell your story, share your opinion. Your voice makes a difference.

Optional information includes first name, age, city you live in. Thanks in advance!

“It’s an outrage to shut down the government over an extreme proposal that would deny millions of women Pap tests, breast cancer screenings and birth control.

“Attacking Planned Parenthood’s preventive health care hurts women, does not cut the deficit or fix the economy, and must be stopped.”

More than 90 percent of the health care Planned Parenthood provides is preventive.

Every year, Planned Parenthood doctors and nurses nationwide provide:

• nearly one million screenings for cervical cancer
• 830,000 breast exams
• affordable birth control to nearly 2.5 million patients
• nearly four million tests and treatments for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV testing

Read fact sheet on Planned Parenthood health services here:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/PPFA/Planned_Parenthood_Who_We_Are.pdf

Tell Rep. Boehner to do the right thing–stop caving to the extremists in Congress who are willing to sacrifice the women and men of this country for an outdated and misinformed ideological argument.

Sign the open letter to Speaker Boehner