All NJ Democratic, Female Legislators Blast Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Ciattarelli Over Proposed Women's Health Care Cuts

TRENTON —  In a joint statement today, all 8 Democratic women legislators in the State Legislature blasted Jack Ciattarelli’s plan to return to Christie-era funding cuts to women’s health care and family planning services.

“For eight long years under former Governor Christie, funding for women’s health care was subjected to harsh, draconian cuts that left thousands of women without access to the basic health services they rightly deserve. These funding cuts were not an abstract issue — women were hurt and their well-being suffered. Rates of sexually transmitted diseases increased. Rates of cervical cancer and breast cancer, especially among Black and Brown communities, increased as well.”

“Year-after-year, this was the playbook of Governor Christie and his enablers. This dark chapter ended when Governor Murphy took office in January 2018 with a renewed focus on putting women’s health care before partisan politics. Together, the Legislature worked with the Governor to do the right thing for New Jersey women by restoring funding for Planned Parenthood and expanding access to reproductive care.”

“However, we’re now again hearing the same anti-women rhetoric echoed from a Republican gubernatorial hopeful who stood in lockstep with Governor Christie in opposition to funding women’s health care as a matter of politics, not smart policy. Our goal remains to ensure that politics never again interferes with a woman’s access to vital health services. We know that investing in women’s health care and family planning leads to healthier women and healthier families.”

The joint statement was issued by Assembly members Shavonda Sumter, Gabriela Mosquera, Lisa Swain, Joann Downey, Angela McKnight, Carol Murphy, Annette Chaparro, Eliana Pintor Marin, Mila Jasey, Linda Carter, Angelica Jimenez, Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, Shanique Speight, Cleopatra Tucker, Britnee Timberlake, Annette Quijano, Valerie Huttle, Pamela Lampitt, and Yvonne Lopez, and Senators Loretta Weinberg, Nellie Pou, Teresa Ruiz, Sandra Cunningham, Shirley Turner, Nia Gill, Linda Greenstein, Nilsa Cruz-Perez, and Dawn Addiego.