Statement from NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals must stop the Trump Administration from building chains around Planned Parenthood.  They want to padlock the truth about reproductive health care from people who are without insurance or who struggle to make ends meet by imposing a politically contrived gag rule on providers like Planned Parenthood.

Donald Trump is a misogynist bully, and he wants his government to reflect his image.  That’s why he’s directed HHS to force Title X grantees to withhold information about abortion care and give patients information about prenatal care instead. 

Conservatives love to malign the “nanny state,” but this is just one example of how Donald Trump is turning government into a bad babysitter.  They want to take away our choices and punish us out of malice—but we won’t let them treat us this way. 

NOW stands in solidarity with Planned Parenthood in opposing the gag rule. We call on the Senate to advance a spending bill that incorporates protective language around Title X. We must ensure millions of people can continue to access these vital health care services. 

Contact

Kimberly Hayes, Press Secretary, press@now.org, 202-570-4745

WASHINGTON, D.C. — There’s the bottom of the barrel, and then there’s Steve King. 

The Congressman from Iowa, who defended white supremacy, has now come out with a defense of rape and incest.   

It’s beyond obvious that Steve King has to resign his seat in politics, apologize to the people of Iowa and find something to do that doesn’t involve thinking, talking or being with other people. 

But Steve King isn’t the only Republican who repeats—or retweets—offensive, ignorant sexist and racist views.  His idiotic statements are part of a spectrum of intolerance, hate speech and bigotry that the House Republican Conference enables through its silence. This language damages the work being done to change our culture to one that respects women as equals and listens to their truths, their stories, their bodies. 

NOW calls on House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to require House Republicans to attend gender and racial bias training conducted by independent experts and trainers.  

NOW would be happy to provide some recommendations.   

Contact

Kimberly Hayes, Press Secretary, press@now.org, 202-570-4745

Statement from NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The white nationalist who killed twenty people in El Paso targeted more than innocent shoppers and families from both sides of the border. He was aiming to promote the racist, hateful views of a toxic online community that’s been emboldened by what they hear from Donald Trump and his enablers on cable news and online. 

Before committing his act of domestic terrorism, the Texas gunman made sure to explain his actions on an alt-right website.  

“If we can get rid of enough people, then our way of life can be more sustainable,” he wrote. “This attack is a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas.” 

There’s not much daylight between these views and the open racism Donald Trump embraces against immigrants from Latin America at his rallies and on Twitter.  

NOW calls on Twitter to ban Donald Trump from the platform for violating its policies on hateful and abusive content. NOW also joins the call for Mitch McConnell to call the U.S Senate back in session to vote on meaningful gun control. Thoughts and prayers are never enough and they’re not enough today. We need action – NOW. 

Contact

Kimberly Hayes, Press Secretary, press@now.org, 202-570-4745