Planned Parenthood of Illinois Celebrates Roe v. Wade's 38th Anniversary!

Last Friday, Planned Parenthood of Illinois celebrated the 38th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, at The Future of Choice luncheon at the University Club of Chicago, featuring nationally recognized political strategist Celinda Lake.

Along with Lake, the event featured political and women's health experts from Planned Parenthood of Illinois, the ACLU of Illinois, Black Women for Reproductive Justice, Personal PAC, the University of Chicago, and other pro-women's health organizations.

Celinda Lake led a panelist discussion about the future of women's health care in the face of threats posed by anti-choice extremists as well as anti-choice politicians elected in 2010. Panelists also addressed the dangers of the Smith Bill, introduced by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and the Pence Amendment, introduced by Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind). If passed, the Smith Bill would seriously limit women's health care by restricting access to abortion services. In addition, the Pence Amendment would deny basic health care from millions of women who rely on Planned Parenthood for basic preventative care.

A recent Hart Research poll shows that 71 percent of all voters, including 60 percent of voters who voted Republican in the 2010 Congressional election, oppose the Pence Amendment defunding Planned Parenthood. Furthermore, 74 percent of voters, including 70 percent of voters who voted for a Republican candidate for Congress in 2010, disagree with the conditions of the Smith Bill.

"The new, anti-choice dominated Congress poses a dangerous threat to women's health care," said Pam Sutherland, Vice President of PPIL. "People deserve access to a full range of health care services. We absolutely cannot let anti-choice hardliners turn back the clock on women's health care."


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