President Obama addressed the nation's largest abortion provider Friday, criticizing pro-life laws on the state level and saving that those who wish to restrict or ban abortion are trying to turn back "progress," Baptist Press reports. Obama -- the first sitting president to address Planned Parenthood -- never mentioned the word "abortion" during his speech at the gala, preferring words such as "choice." He said: "After decades of progress there's still those who want to turn back the clock to policies more suited to the 1950s than the 21st century. And they're involved in an orchestrated and historic effort to roll back basic rights when it comes to women's health. Forty-two states have introduced laws that would ban or severely limit access to a woman's right to choose. ... In North Dakota, they just passed a law that outlaws your right to choose, starting as early as six weeks. ... When you read about these laws, you want to check the calendar. You want to make sure you're still living in 2013. Forty years after the Supreme Court affirmed a woman's constitutional right to privacy, including the right to choose, we shouldn't have to remind people that when it comes to a woman's health, no politician should get to decide what's best for you." Planned Parenthood performed a record 333,964 abortions during 2010-11, the most recent year for which statistics are available. Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood, had released a statement prior to Obama's speech saying he had "done more than any president in history for women's health and rights."
