This is unbelievable.

We just heard that the latest Covid-19 relief bill being pushed by Republicans contains language to further restrict access to reproductive health care.

The bill contains significant federal funding in the form of loans that would be forgiven for small businesses and non-profits to meet payrolls and maintain benefits for their employees.

But, outrageously, it specifically bars non-profit health care providers, like Planned Parenthood clinics across the country, from participating. It’s appalling, but sadly not surprising.

In Ohio, the Attorney General used the Covid-19 crisis to order clinics to end all “non-essential” abortion care, ignoring of course that pregnancy increases risk for serious illness.

A permanent repeal of the Global Gag Rule will mean the communities I serve can once again have access to critical and needed health care services.

They won’t stop themselves from these attacks on reproductive health care, so we — all of us — have to stop them. Please call your senators right now and urge them to eliminate this mean-spirited and shortsighted provision.

Talking Points:

• It’s never okay to try to punish reproductive health care providers, and using the Covid-19 crisis to do so is especially disgraceful.

• These non-profits are providing essential health care to some of America’s most vulnerable people. We need to help them and the people they serve.

• The Senate needs to remove this shortsighted and mean-spirited exclusion.

Thank you for taking action. I hope you're staying safe and healthy at home with friends or loved ones.

Brian Dixon
Senior VP for Media and Government Relations