Statement of The Very Reverend Katherine Ragsdale, Interim President and CEO of the National Abortion Federation (NAF) on Planned Parenthood Federation of America being forced out of Title X:
In July, some NAF members—including Maine Family Planning and Boulder Valley Women’s Health Center—announced they would withdraw from the federal Title X program due to an unethical gag rule imposed by the Trump/Pence Administration which would bar them from providing, or referring patients for, abortion care. Today, Planned Parenthood Federation of America announced their health centers would do the same. We could not be prouder of our members for fighting this unconscionable gag rule meant to deny women even basic information about their health care options.
It is unfathomable that anyone would want to prevent health care providers from giving their patients accurate medical information and referrals to other safe, quality health care providers. This is another clear sign that President Trump and his administration would rather bow to anti-abortion extremists than ensure that people in America have access to quality health care.
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The National Abortion Federation (NAF) is the professional association of abortion providers. Our members include individuals, private and non-profit clinics, Planned Parenthood affiliates, women’s health centers, physicians’ offices, and hospitals who together care for approximately half the women who choose abortion in the U.S. and Canada each year. Our members also include public hospitals and both public and private clinics in Mexico City and private clinics in Colombia. NAF unites, represents, serves, and supports abortion providers in delivering patient-centered, evidence-based care.