MontCo Democrats call on GOP to withdraw lawsuit over women’s health funding

 NORRISTOWN, Oct. 17 – Surrounded by women’s health advocates on the steps of the Montgomery County courthouse, state Reps. Mike Gerber and Daylin Leach, along with state Sen. Connie Williams, all D-Montgomery, today called on Republican leadership to drop a lawsuit aimed at blocking health-care funding for low- and moderate-income women.

 The 2005-06 state budget enacted in July included Republican-authored language that would have restricted Pennsylvania’s ability to use federal money for family planning and health services for low-income women. But before signing the budget into law, Gov. Ed Rendell removed the provision by using line-item veto power granted to him by the Pennsylvania Constitution.

 “I am proud to stand by the governor’s veto and stand by his mission to protect the health and welfare of Pennsylvania’s women and ensure that Pennsylvania women receive appropriate family planning and health-care services,” Gerber said.

 "The question today is simple: should Pennsylvania turn away between $18 million and $27 million in additional federal dollars that would be used to help about 220,000 uninsured women in Pennsylvania gain access to critical, preventative health care?” Williams asked.

 “This lawsuit is a prime example of frivolity that has no basis under current state law,” Leach said. “They’re looking to pick a fight, and it’s at the expense of women and their families across Pennsylvania whose lives are saved thanks to health screenings and early detection of potentially fatal diseases.”

 The lawmakers pointed out that 21 other states already have approved Medicaid funding for family planning programs, which help improve access to women's health-care services, including breast and cervical cancer screenings, sexually transmitted disease testing and contraception for women who otherwise would be unable to obtain these services. The federal government provides up to a 90 percent funding match to expand Medicaid eligibility for these services.

 “My constituents know that I don’t engage in partisan rhetoric, but by filing this lawsuit, Republican leadership has made this a partisan issue,” Gerber added “I cannot emphasize enough the importance of dropping this attack on the women of my district, my county, and my state. They are our family members, our co-workers, and our friends.”

 "I, too, plan to join in fighting against efforts by shortsighted Republicans that are trying to block additional federal money from coming into Pennsylvania,” Williams added. “Those additional federal dollars could mean that uninsured Pennsylvania women will have a greater fighting chance against cancer."