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Georgia House Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, an anti-abortion activist, has sharply criticized Planned Parenthood Great Rivers for offering free vasectomies and medical abortions shortly before the Democratic National Convention.
Just blocks from the convention center in Chicago, Illinois, Planned Parenthood Great Rivers’ mobile unit, a fully operational mobile health center, will provide free medical care to a limited number of people August 19-20.
“Planned Parenthood will be offering free vasectomies and abortions at the Democratic National Convention next week,” Greene wrote on X. “This is hard to comprehend and truly heartbreaking.”
She added: “Being a mother is the most precious gift. Choose life.”
Greene does not believe in abortion and has supported several laws restricting access to abortion.
She has received an A+ rating from the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America group.
The purpose of the mobile health unit – which offers free medication abortions, vasectomies and emergency contraception – is to demonstrate that basic health care should be accessible, according to Planned Parenthood Great Rivers.
The organization has made a conscious decision to offer its services free of charge to all who sign up, in order to make access to vasectomy, contraception and abortion available to visitors to the region who may not have these luxuries available in their home state.
“The mobile clinic at the DNC is another way for Planned Parenthood to continue to expand services to Illinois residents and manage the influx of patients into Illinois as surrounding states continue to enact strict restrictions on reproductive care, including extreme abortion bans,” Planned Parenthood Great Rivers said in a statement.
Abortion access is a key issue for many voters this election cycle. At least 13 states have passed highly restrictive laws banning the procedure in almost any form. At least 15 more states have passed laws restricting it in some way.
Democrats have embraced the issue of abortion, and Vice President Kamala Harris has made reproductive freedom a cornerstone of her campaign.
Planned Parenthood Great Rivers’ mobile unit has seen a lot of interest since its announcement and confirmed on its Facebook page on Saturday that all appointments for medication abortions and vasectomies have now been filled.
Similar mobile units have been used in Illinois, Missouri and New York for medical services such as vasectomies. As the procedure has become increasingly popular, Planned Parenthood has resorted to its mobile health clinic to handle the influx of patients.
Patients who have registered for appointments during the DNC will be seen by the chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers.
