Statement by Jeb Bush on Federal Funding for Planned Parenthood

"With regards to women's health funding broadly, I misspoke, as there are countless community health centers, rural clinics, and other women's health organizations that need to be fully funded. They provide critical services to all, but particularly low-income women who don't have the access they need.

"I was referring to the hard-to-fathom $500 million in federal funding that goes to Planned Parenthood – an organization that was callously participating in the unthinkable practice of selling fetal organs. Democrats and Republicans agree we absolutely must defund them and redirect those funds to other women's health organizations."

Dr. Rhonda Medows issued the following statement regarding Gov. Bush's record on women's health. She was the Secretary of AHCA for Gov. Bush in Florida. She is currently a Executive Vice President of Population Health and Providence Health Services and practiced medicine at the Mayo Clinic and is board certified in family medicine.

"As a former Secretary of AHCA for Governor Bush, I watched his dedication to women's health issues and services first hand. He created and championed the Mary Brogan Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program Act to provide screening, diagnosis, and treatment for breast and cervical cancer, he was intent on improving the quality of care offered to women under our state health programs, and he enhanced access to vital services to women through new access points."

Background

Bush Proposed Millions On Crisis Pregnancy Centers Which Received A $4 Million Launch And $2 Million A Year For The Rest Of His Tenure. "In 2005, Bush proposed spending millions on a pregnancy counseling hotline that steered women to these crisis pregnancy centers, which were opposed to abortion. After a $4 million launch, the hotline continued to get $2 million budgeted per year for these services for the rest of Bush's tenure." (Joshua Gillin, "Political group makes five points about Jeb Bush's record," PolitiFact, 6/25/15)

Bush Signed Into Law The Mary Brogan Breast And Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program Act. "Governor Jeb Bush signed the Mary Brogan Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program Act into law, thus providing a treatment option to medically needy women diagnosed with breast and cervical cancer." (American Cancer Society, Accessed On 8/4/15)

From 2001-2007, Governor Bush invested $47M into the Mary Brogan Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. http://www.acscan.org/ovc_images/file/action/states/fl/ADVOCACY_ACCOMPLISHMENTS_-_Florida_2012.pd

Bush Signed Into A Law An Act Establishing A "Fight Breast Cancer" License Plate Whose Proceeds Go To Funding Breast Cancer Research. "A new license plate will raise money for breast cancer research under a bill Gov. Jeb Bush signed into law Monday while predicting it will become among the most popular of Florida's specialty tags." (Associated Press, 4/30/02)

Governor Bush signed into law the Officer of Women's Health Strategy position. Specifically, the law's intent stated, "The legislature recognizes that the health care needs of women are gender-specific and that public policy must take into account the distinct characteristics of women's health issues. Priority shall be given to improve the overall health status of women through research and education on women's health issues." http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/