STATEMENT BY PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA ON THE NOMINATION OF DAWN JOHNSEN TO THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE OFFICE OF LEGAL COUNSEL

Planned Parenthood Federation of America applauds the nomination of Professor Dawn Johnsen to be the next assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC). Professor Johnsen’s long and distinguished legal career in public service, including serving as acting assistant attorney general for OLC during the Clinton administration, makes her an excellent candidate for this position.

Professor Johnsen has been a strong guardian of civil rights and women’s rights and is firmly dedicated to upholding the rule of law.  She is a highly qualified nominee who possesses a wide range of support, including that of conservative legal scholar Douglas Kmiec, who previously led the OLC.

We encourage the Senate to quickly confirm Professor Johnsen.  Her superb qualifications and true commitment to public service must not fall victim to partisanship.

Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading sexual and reproductive health care provider and advocate. We believe that everyone has the right to choose when or whether to have a child, and that every child should be wanted and loved. Planned Parenthood affiliates operate nearly 800 health centers nationwide, providing medical services and sexuality education for millions of women, men, and teenagers each year. We also work with allies worldwide to ensure that all women and men have the right and the means to meet their sexual and reproductive health care needs.