EMILYs List Statement on the Trump Gag Rule Taking Effect

For Immediate Release
July 16, 2019

EMILYs List Statement on the Trump Gag Rule Taking Effect

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last night, the Trump administration announced they will begin enforcing the Title X gag rule immediately. This dangerous policy cuts off federal funds to health care facilities that provide abortion and abortion referrals, creating financial barriers for health care providers who oversee critical abortion and maternal care, jeopardizing the health care of millions of American families. In response, Stephanie Schriock, president of EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, released the following statement:

“Trump’s choice to enforce the Title X gag rule puts his and the Republican Party’s dangerous attacks on women in full view. The effects of this policy will be immediate and devastating as women across the country are at risk of losing access to birth control, cancer screenings, and critical reproductive and maternal health services. This administration's impact on women’s health has been the most detrimental in recent history, and it’s time to put a stop to the GOP’s disastrous anti-woman agenda. We’re proud to stand with Planned Parenthood’s fight against this illegal gag rule, and we’ll also be taking our fight to the ballot box. We need more pro-choice women at every level of office to stand against Trump’s, and Republicans’, daily attempts to control women’s bodies.”

EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, has raised over $600 million to elect pro-choice Democratic women candidates. With a grassroots community of over five million members, EMILY's List helps Democratic women win competitive campaigns – across the country and up and down the ballot – by recruiting and training candidates, supporting strong campaigns, researching the issues that impact women and families, and turning out women voters to the polls. Since our founding in 1985, we have helped elect 150 women to the House, 26 to the Senate, 16 governors, and nearly 1,100 women to state and local office. Nearly 40 percent of the candidates EMILYs List has helped elect to Congress have been women of color. During the historic 2017-2018 cycle, EMILYs List raised a record-breaking $110 million and launched a record independent expenditure campaign. We helped elect 34 new women to the House, including 24 red-to-blue victories; enough seats to have delivered the U.S. House majority alone. Since the 2016 election, more than 46,000 women have reached out to EMILY's List about running for office laying the groundwork for the next decade of candidates for local, state and national offices.