AJ Louderback, State Representative (R) District 30, efforts, along with other conservatives, were successful in stopping a resolution honoring Cecile Richards, the former President of Planned Parenthood. The resolution in question was HR236. According to Louderback, the resolution was set to be brought up on the house floor but was ultimately pulled following objections to suspending the rules.
The bill was introduced by Donna Howard, Democratic Representative for District 48. The unsuccessful resolution was to honor the life and legacy of Cecile Richards, who passed away on January 20, 2025, at the age of 67. Cecile became politically active as a teenager, protesting the Vietnam War, and later earned a degree from Brown University.
Cecile Richards, born on July 15, 1957, in Waco, Texas, was an American activist who led the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its affiliated Planned Parenthood Action Fund from 2006 to 2018. She was also elected to the Ford Foundation board of trustees in 2010 and co-founded Supermajority, a women’s political action group, in spring 2019.
Richards was the daughter of Ann Richards, who served as governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995, and David Richards, a lawyer who practiced civil rights law.
Louderback’s statement emphasized opposition to honoring Richards, highlighting the controversial nature of Planned Parenthood. However, Planned Parenthood is widely recognized for providing essential healthcare services to women, especially those from low-income backgrounds. These services include cancer screenings, contraception, STD testing and treatment, and other critical reproductive health services.
Reproductive rights, which include the ability of individuals and couples to make decisions regarding the number, spacing, and timing of their children, and to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health, are central to the organization’s mission. These rights also encompass the freedom to make decisions about reproduction without facing discrimination, coercion, or violence.
