Dear Editor:

It’s disappointing that a program originally passed by the Texas legislature with bi-partisan support and put into effect by the administration of President George W. Bush, is now coming to an end because of the political gamesmanship of Governor Rick Perry.

More than 130,000 of the most vulnerable women in Texas are now being cut off from important reproductive health care, cancer screenings, and well women check-ups just so that Gov. Perry can score political points on the backs of women.

Perry’s heartless decision affects more than just patients who go to Planned Parenthood. Without the program, independent providers are not able to provide care for Medicaid patients. Planned Parenthood is the single largest provider of care within the Texas Medicaid Women’s Health Program.

Perry’s comments to the right-wing political group, Empower Texans, that he would take the funding from the already devastated Health and Human Services budget show just how insincere his claims are that he will continue to protect this program for the women and families in our state that rely on it.

According to a recently released Public Policy Polling study, 55 percent of Texans oppose Governor Perry’s efforts to end the Medicaid Women’s Health Program.

More than 95,000 people from Texas and across the country have signed petitions calling on Perry to end his anti-women’s health care agenda.

As far as Planned Parenthood is concerned, we will continue to fight until all Texas women have access to the healthcare they need.

Sincerely,

Kelly Hart

Planned Parenthood affiliates of Texas