affiliates are pushing to dissolve the political arm of their organization in a move that has blindsided some long-time advocates and has them worried about the future of reproductive rights in the state.
While states across the country are restricting access to abortion and other reproductive health care in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court鈥檚 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, Oregon has been able to , sending millions of dollars to health care providers and opening a new health clinic in
Jennifer Williamson, a former Democratic state lawmaker and former interim leader of Planned Parenthood Advocacy of Oregon, said there is a reason for that: the political arm of Planned Parenthood has long been an influential voice in Salem.
鈥淎t this point in time with this much on the line with reproductive health care, this infighting is ridiculous,鈥� Williamson said. 鈥淲e worked so hard in this state to get where we are with reproductive health care, the protections are taken for granted.鈥�
Oregon has two Planned Parenthood affiliates. They provide reproductive health care, including abortion access, but do not engage in political work such as lobbying or campaigns.
Dr. Sara Kennedy was recently hired to oversee Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette, which operates clinics in the Portland metro area, Salem, Bend, Ontario and Vancouver, Washington. Kennedy is still currently in the process of moving from California to Oregon. oversees Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon, which has clinics in the Eugene-Springfield area, Grants Pass and Medford.
Neither Kennedy nor Handler returned an immediate call for comment.
But on Friday, Kennedy and Handler sent a letter to the two groups鈥� political advocacy arm. They informed the lobbying group鈥檚 governing board that they plan to dissolve Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon and restructure the organization to focus more on 鈥渉ealth care and advocating for the needs of the Planned Parenthood affiliates and their patients.鈥�
The letter continues, 鈥淲e are not dissolving our commitment to advocacy in Oregon. Instead, we want to realign Planned Parenthood鈥檚 advocacy with our critical mission of delivering quality, equitable, and accessible sexual and reproductive health care.鈥�
The two affiliates fund the full budget, outside of grants, for the political advocacy arm. Kristi Scdoris, a spokeswoman for the two affiliate clinics, said the groups have a plan to focus more on reimbursement rates for their providers, saying right now their group鈥檚 goal is keeping their health care provider doors open. The two affiliates together send more than $700,000 to the lobbying arm annually, according to Scdoris.
brings in about $36 million in annual revenue, with total expenses at about $31 million, according to its 2022-23 financial impact report.
Members of the political group鈥檚 advocacy board quickly responded to the news in writing to the board members of the affiliates, saying they are concerned the new leaders are making a 鈥渞ushed decision based on inaccurate information about what Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon is, what it does, and what it has accomplished.鈥�
The letter goes on to detail the role played in convincing lawmakers to pass the Reproductive Health Equity Act in 2017, codifying the right to have an abortion into state law and expanding access to reproductive services.
It鈥檚 the advocacy arm, the letter argues, that has the infrastructure and the relationships to quickly defeat anti-abortion measures as they did in 2018 with Measure 106, a ballot measure that would have restricted access to abortions.
鈥淔or years, PPAO (Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon) has intentionally and strategically built a network of staff, donors, volunteers, and board members who have the personal and professional relationships needed to win campaigns and pass Planned Parenthood鈥檚 legislative priorities,鈥� the letter continues. 鈥淏ecause of this work, this organization (and its staff, its board, its volunteers, its alumni) has deep connections and relationships with critical allies in the fights we know are ahead of us. "
The letter warns the new leaders they are 鈥渟eriously miscalculating the impacts of this rushed path forward鈥� and notes that after the nonprofit , they are the only advocacy organization remaining in the state.
鈥淎nd now, at what is potentially the most critical time for abortion rights that this country has ever seen, this short-sighted plan to force dissolution over a matter of days would leave Oregon, formerly a national leader in this space, with zero abortion rights advocacy organizations,鈥� the letter reads, and continues to warn of the inability to meaningfully impact elections, endorsements or messages in a pivotal election year and lose momentum heading into the 2025 legislative session.
U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Eugene, said she鈥檚 signed on to a letter along with 100 other people urging the two leaders to reconsider.
鈥淲hy the leadership of the two Planned Parenthood health care clinics decided to eliminate the advocacy arm of Planned Parenthood in Oregon without any process, any partnership or any transparency five months before the most consequential election of our lifetime when reproductive health care is on the ballot is baffling to me,鈥� Hoyle said.
The advocacy group鈥檚 board, which includes 19 people, including the two affiliate CEOs and 10 people they have appointed, was scheduled to vote on the decision to dissolve the political effort Tuesday night.
This story may be updated.
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