Contact your state senator and state representative NOW!
The budget-writing Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) is scheduled to vote this Wednesday, May 18, on two pro-life provisions proposed by Governor Walker in his biennial budget bill. Governor Walker’s 2011-2013 biennial budget proposal eliminates state family planning funding under the Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant Program and removes men aged 15-44 from the BadgerCare Family Planning Program. (Note: Governor Walker’s budget provision to repeal the current law mandate forcing public and private health insurers to cover contraceptives was unfortunately removed by JFC as a “policy item,” and may be introduced as separate legislation.)
Pro-Life Wisconsin applauded Governor Walker for these common sense budget provisions that respect the consciences of Wisconsin taxpayers. And we again urge you to contact your state representative and state senator NOW and encourage him or her to support the following two provisions in the Governor’s biennial budget bill:
1) Eliminating Title V state family planning funds
As it confronts an over $3 billion structural deficit, the state of Wisconsin can no longer afford the controversial business of “family planning.” All money is fungible. Family planning funds free up resources within receiving organizations, like Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, to engage in the surgical abortion business. Confidential family planning services also include the provision of chemically abortifacient birth control drugs, such as the morning-after pill and the patch, to adults and minor children. Governor Walker’s budget eliminates state family planning funding under the Title V Maternal & Child Health Block Grant Program ($1.9 million in annual general fund spending). Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, the state’s largest abortion provider, annually receives over $900,000 in Title V state family planning funding. Polls consistently demonstrate that Americans are opposed to taxpayer funding of abortions.
2) Removing boys/men from the BadgerCare Family Planning Program
The Governor’s budget removes men aged 15-44 from the BadgerCare Family Planning Program (formerly known as the Medicaid Family Planning Waiver Program before the Obama Administration made the program permanent in Wisconsin last year). This state/federal program provides free, taxpayer-funded birth control to 15, 16 and 17-year-old boys and girls without their parents’ knowledge or consent. This undermines parental authority in the sensitive area of teen sexual health and increases underage pregnancy, abortion, and sexually transmitted diseases by encouraging sexual promiscuity. We thank the Governor for removing boys from this program, and we encourage the Wisconsin Legislature to also remove minor girls by requesting a federal waiver to raise the program’s minimum eligibility age from 15 to 18.
TAKE ACTION NOW!
Please CALL or EMAIL your state representative and state senator NOW and urge him or her to support the following two pro-life items in the Governor’s biennial budget bill:
1) Eliminating Title V family planning funds. Defund Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin and other organizations that perform or refer for abortion by eliminating Title V family planning funds.
2) Removing boys/men from the BadgerCare Family Planning Program. Don’t force Wisconsin taxpayers to pay for birth control for 15, 16 and 17-year-old boys without their parents’ knowledge or consent.
To find out who your state legislators are, go to www.prolifewisconsin.org and scroll over the Legislative Affairs menu item at the top of the page. A drop down menu will appear. Click on the Speak Up icon and then scroll down the page and click on Who Are My Wisconsin Lawmakers? Type in your street address, city and zip code. The names and contact info of your state senator and state representative will appear.
Once you know who your state legislators are, go back to the Speak Up page and use the links listed under Email Your Government Officials to send your email to your state senator and state representative. That way PLW will receive a copy of your email which will enable us to monitor the activity of our grassroots advocacy campaign.
If you prefer to leave a telephone message with your state legislator, call the toll-free State Legislative Hotline at (800) 362-9472. Or call the legislator’s office directly. Thank you!