Power to Decide Strongly Opposes Administration's Directives That Place Ideology Over Evidence

Washington, D.C.—According to reports, the Trump Administration has recently banned the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from using the following seven terms: "evidence,” "science-based," "diversity," "vulnerable," "entitlement," "transgender" and "fetus" in their FY 2019 budget proposal. Reports also indicate that other agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services are banned from using "diversity" and "vulnerable," as well as other words. Power to Decide strongly opposes these bans and is deeply concerned about their impact on people in the United States receiving vital and accurate health information, as well as, the impact on health equity. 

Ginny Ehrlich, CEO, Power to Decide issued the following statement regarding the Trump Administration's directives: 

"We are dismayed and alarmed by the efforts of the Trump Administration to ban the use of words that help people access accurate information about their health, as well as, prohibiting terms that respect and include the diversity of the people in the United States. These bans put ideology over evidence, and the effect is nothing short of playing politics with people's lives. Rest assured, Power to Decide will continue to provide access to science-based and reliable information on sexual health so that everybody - no matter who they are or where they live - has the power to decide if, when, and under what circumstances to get pregnant." 

Power to Decide is a private, non-partisan, non-profit organization that works to ensure all people—no matter who they are, where they live, or what their economic status might be—have the power to decide if, when, and under what circumstances to get pregnant. Please visit us at www.PowerToDecide.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.