July 19, 2010

Madison, WI – Today, NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin PAC announced their enthusiastic endorsement of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Barrett, a strong advocate for women's health and reproductive health care access. Barrett is the only candidate for Governor who will stand up for Wisconsin women and ensure access to the full range of reproductive health care services. Barrett's leading Republican opponents, Scott Walker and Mark Neumann, both have appalling records on reproductive health and have aligned themselves with the most extreme anti-choice and anti-birth control group in the state.

"Tom Barrett supports a woman's right to make health care decisions privately without interference from politicians or government," said NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin Executive Director Lisa Subeck. "When it comes to women's health, Barrett's steadfast support for access to birth control, family planning, and the full range of women's health services stands in stark contrast to the extreme views of his opponents. Walker and Neumann both believe that government, not women and their doctors, should make these personal medical decisions."

During his ten years in Congress, Tom Barrett voted to require coverage of birth control in insurance plans for federal employees, restore funding for international family planning, rescind the global gag rule, and rescind the ban on abortion for women serving in the military. As Mayor, Barrett has demonstrated his commitment to public health by tackling head-on the challenge of reducing teen pregnancy and STD rates, committing resources to maternal and child health, and investing in public health care programs and services.

Scott Walker's appalling anti-women's health record speaks for itself. While in the state legislature, he sponsored legislation to block access to birth control and family planning services for women and even sponsored a bill to allow doctors to withhold critical prenatal testing and information from women. He has aligned himself with Pro-Life Wisconsin, the state's most extreme anti-choice and anti-birth control group, and affirmed his position outside of the mainstream by accepting the group's endorsement.

Mark Neumann, while serving in Congress, voted to restrict access to abortion even when a woman's health is in danger and has voted to restrict access to birth control and family planning services. He has also accepted the endorsement of the most extreme anti-choice and anti-birth control group in the state.