STATEMENT BY GOVERNOR CHET CULVER ON PLANNED PARENTHOOD ENDORSEMENT
Posted on Wednesday, June 16 at 11:34am
DES MOINES - Governor Chet Culver released the following statement after today's announcement of Planned Parenthood Voters of Iowa PAC's endorsement of Governor Chet Culver and Lt. Governor Patty Judge.
"I am so pleased to receive the endorsement of Planned Parenthood Voters of Iowa PAC. I've worked very hard in my first term to maintain and improve family planning and women's rights in the state of Iowa and I am proud to have their support in this election. By contrast, Terry Branstad doesn't trust the women of Iowa to make their own health care decisions.
"What's ironic is that the women and men of Iowa cannot trust Branstad on health care. When he was at Des Moines University, he supported mandates. When he was campaigning in the Republican primary, he opposed mandates. Iowans can only guess as to his position tomorrow. What is clear is that he thinks requirements such as allowing adult children to continue to be insured on their parents' policy or prohibiting people from being denied insurance for pre-existing conditions is too intrusive but forcing victims to have invasive procedures is all right.
"Branstad even campaigned on enacting a law similar to the one passed in Oklahoma. The law requires a woman to have an invasive and expensive sonogram, for no medical reason, prior to receiving some services, forcing women who are victims of rape or incest to re-live these horrifying violent crimes. Well, I believe that is wrong.
"Terry Branstad is out of touch on this issue. He even refused to comment on the endorsement today because he knows that he's on the wrong side of women's issues.
"I have worked hard to invest in a woman's right to make her own decisions about her health care and I will continue that investment."
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