Opinion articles provide independent perspectives on key community issues, separate from our newsroom reporting.

Letters to the Editor

Planned Parenthood deserves our funding

FILE: Supporters of Planned Parenthood stood in solidarity Feb. 10, 2017, outside the Sarasota clinic, outnumbering protestors who want to defend the organization a day ahead of the protests planned across the country.
FILE: Supporters of Planned Parenthood stood in solidarity Feb. 10, 2017, outside the Sarasota clinic, outnumbering protestors who want to defend the organization a day ahead of the protests planned across the country. ttompkins@bradenton.com

Let me repeat, no federal funding is used for abortions. Funding for Planned Parenthood must continue. Do not let the discussion of abortions, which are not federally funded, interfere with the ability of men and women to keep accessing the reproductive health services that Planned Parenthood provides.

Ninety-seven percent of Planned Parenthood services deal with cancer screening and prevention, STI/STD testing and treatment, contraception (including male vasectomies) and additional women’s health services. By defunding Planned Parenthood at the federal level, Congress will endanger the lives of 900,000 women and 80,000 women in Florida.

Karen Bossert

Bradenton

This story was originally published February 16, 2017 at 2:30 PM with the headline "Planned Parenthood deserves our funding."

Get unlimited digital access
#ReadLocal

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER