Leaders of nine Iowa organizations opposed to abortion signed a unity pledge at the Iowa Capitol Wednesday, vowing to block government funding to organizations that perform abortions and backing legislation that declares life in Iowa begins at conception.
”This is marking the first time in more than 40 years that Iowa's pro-life community has been resolved together. We are uniting for the defense of life," said Jenifer Bowen, president of Life Right Action.
Bob Vander Plaats, president and chief executive officer of The Family Leader, a social conservative group, said the activists see a "new day" at the Iowa Capitol with Republicans controlling the Iowa House and Senate, as well as the governor's office. He said the makeup of the 2017 Iowa Legislature more strongly supports pro-life issues than any group of state lawmakers he can recall.
In addition to Life Right Action and The Family Leader, the organizations supporting the unity document included Iowa Right to Life, Iowans for Life, Iowa PAC for Life, Restored by Grace, Personhood Iowa, Lutheran Family Service and the Thomas More Society Leaders.
Vander Plaats said the groups that signed the unity pledge support spending government money on women's health care, but they don't want the money going to the abortion industry.
His comments were a veiled reference to Planned Parenthood, which receives about one-fourth of its Iowa financing, or nearly $2.7 million per year, from public sources. However, none of that money is spent on abortions, officials said.
Another priority is legislation that would ban abortion in Iowa. The bill is still being drafted, but there is no doubt it will have multiple co-sponsors, officials said.
"We believe that life begins at conception," Vander Plaats said.
Rep. Walt Rogers, R-Cedar Falls, urged activists to work more closely with Iowa church congregations. He said that when Republican lawmakers tried to press the issue of defunding Planned Parenthood last year, there was a "dismal" level of support.
"We should really engage the church on this," he said.
Rep. Sandy Salmon, R-Janesville, said she believes there is a good chance of legislation opposing abortion winning approval this session.
"I am excited. I think we can go forward with more protection for babies, for women, for more and better health care, where it really needs to go," she said.
Gov. Terry Branstad, a Republican, offered his support in his Condition of the State address Tuesday by proposing to eliminate taxpayer funding to organizations that perform abortions. His move is intended to block funding to Planned Parenthood, the state's largest abortion provider.
Legislators who support reproductive rights for women responded Wednesday by pledging to oppose anti-abortion activists or expressing disagreements with their arguments.
Rep. Mary Mascher, D-Iowa City, said proposals to block government funding to Planned Parenthood and banning abortions would ultimately be overturned in the courts.
Mascher defended Planned Parenthood, saying the family planning organization does far more than perform abortions, which represent only a small part of its work.
"My concern about cutting funding for Planned Parenthood is that abortions will increase because what we will see is more people not having access to family planning, that being birth control pills or whatever else they need to be able to prevent unwanted pregnancies," Mascher said.
In addition, declaring that life begins at conception and banning all legal abortions would force Iowa women to obtain dangerous back-alley procedures, Mascher said.
"This would be truly an infringement on a woman's right to do what she needs to do to take care of herself," Mascher said.
Sen. Amanda Ragan, D-Mason City, said Senate Democrats have been consistent in believing that family planning services are important to prevent abortions. She questions the idea of shifting family planning money away from Planned Parenthood, which is known for its expertise in reproductive health care, to other Iowa medical facilities.
"People want to be comfortable with these issues" Ragan said. "This is about preventing abortions and making them rare."
Rachel Lopez, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, issued a statement criticizing the proposed legislation.
“Bills like the ones these radical religious and conservative interest groups are proposing only impose their extremist personal agendas on the average citizen," the statement said. "If enacted, this type of legislation could have a devastating effect on the private health care decisions of a woman and her family."
Similar bills passed in other states have been repeatedly rejected by the courts, and Planned Parenthood anticipates the same outcome in Iowa, Lopez said.
http://www.press-citizen.com/story/...-over-tighter-abortion-restrictions/96457180/
”This is marking the first time in more than 40 years that Iowa's pro-life community has been resolved together. We are uniting for the defense of life," said Jenifer Bowen, president of Life Right Action.
Bob Vander Plaats, president and chief executive officer of The Family Leader, a social conservative group, said the activists see a "new day" at the Iowa Capitol with Republicans controlling the Iowa House and Senate, as well as the governor's office. He said the makeup of the 2017 Iowa Legislature more strongly supports pro-life issues than any group of state lawmakers he can recall.
In addition to Life Right Action and The Family Leader, the organizations supporting the unity document included Iowa Right to Life, Iowans for Life, Iowa PAC for Life, Restored by Grace, Personhood Iowa, Lutheran Family Service and the Thomas More Society Leaders.
Vander Plaats said the groups that signed the unity pledge support spending government money on women's health care, but they don't want the money going to the abortion industry.
His comments were a veiled reference to Planned Parenthood, which receives about one-fourth of its Iowa financing, or nearly $2.7 million per year, from public sources. However, none of that money is spent on abortions, officials said.
Another priority is legislation that would ban abortion in Iowa. The bill is still being drafted, but there is no doubt it will have multiple co-sponsors, officials said.
"We believe that life begins at conception," Vander Plaats said.
Rep. Walt Rogers, R-Cedar Falls, urged activists to work more closely with Iowa church congregations. He said that when Republican lawmakers tried to press the issue of defunding Planned Parenthood last year, there was a "dismal" level of support.
"We should really engage the church on this," he said.
Rep. Sandy Salmon, R-Janesville, said she believes there is a good chance of legislation opposing abortion winning approval this session.
"I am excited. I think we can go forward with more protection for babies, for women, for more and better health care, where it really needs to go," she said.
Gov. Terry Branstad, a Republican, offered his support in his Condition of the State address Tuesday by proposing to eliminate taxpayer funding to organizations that perform abortions. His move is intended to block funding to Planned Parenthood, the state's largest abortion provider.
Legislators who support reproductive rights for women responded Wednesday by pledging to oppose anti-abortion activists or expressing disagreements with their arguments.
Rep. Mary Mascher, D-Iowa City, said proposals to block government funding to Planned Parenthood and banning abortions would ultimately be overturned in the courts.
Mascher defended Planned Parenthood, saying the family planning organization does far more than perform abortions, which represent only a small part of its work.
"My concern about cutting funding for Planned Parenthood is that abortions will increase because what we will see is more people not having access to family planning, that being birth control pills or whatever else they need to be able to prevent unwanted pregnancies," Mascher said.
In addition, declaring that life begins at conception and banning all legal abortions would force Iowa women to obtain dangerous back-alley procedures, Mascher said.
"This would be truly an infringement on a woman's right to do what she needs to do to take care of herself," Mascher said.
Sen. Amanda Ragan, D-Mason City, said Senate Democrats have been consistent in believing that family planning services are important to prevent abortions. She questions the idea of shifting family planning money away from Planned Parenthood, which is known for its expertise in reproductive health care, to other Iowa medical facilities.
"People want to be comfortable with these issues" Ragan said. "This is about preventing abortions and making them rare."
Rachel Lopez, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, issued a statement criticizing the proposed legislation.
“Bills like the ones these radical religious and conservative interest groups are proposing only impose their extremist personal agendas on the average citizen," the statement said. "If enacted, this type of legislation could have a devastating effect on the private health care decisions of a woman and her family."
Similar bills passed in other states have been repeatedly rejected by the courts, and Planned Parenthood anticipates the same outcome in Iowa, Lopez said.
http://www.press-citizen.com/story/...-over-tighter-abortion-restrictions/96457180/
