On the 34th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade: New Year, New Congress, New Possibilities (1/22/2007)
As the 110th Congress convenes this month, there is renewed hope that the
erosion of women’s reproductive freedoms by federal lawmakers will cease for at
least the next two years. With the ascension to power of Representative
Nancy Pelosi, a staunch supporter of reproductive rights and the first female
Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Majority Leader Harry Reid, a
strong family planning advocate, in the Senate, we can all breathe just a bit
easier.
Indeed, instead of the repeated assaults on reproductive freedoms that have
become commonplace during the years that anti-choice forces controlled Congress,
we expect the new leadership to advance measures to expand access to some
important reproductive health services. And equally critical, we
anticipate that the new leadership will block anti-choice measures so that many
will never see the light of day.
Yet, on this 34th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, our optimism must be tempered
by an understanding of the broader political context. Anti-choice forces
still control the Executive Branch and their supporters in the House and Senate
will labor mightily to advance their extreme agenda and prevent any attempts to
increase access to reproductive health care.
Thus while we look forward to a brighter year for women’s reproductive
rights, the battle for the future of reproductive freedom has not yet been
won.
What follows is an overview of some of the legislative issues and measures
that are on the horizon for 2007. Some issues are not yet ripe for
grassroots action, but stay tuned for more information and sign up for the ACLU
Action List to find out how you can become engaged and help ensure the world we
want for reproductive freedom.
Support Prevention First
Introduced on January 4, 2007, by Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nevada), the
Prevention First Act (S.21) is a broad package of measures aimed at improving
women’s health, reducing the rate of unintended pregnancy and reducing the need
for abortions. We expect the introduction of a similar bill in the House
of Representatives in the very near future.
Prevention First would:
(1) increase funding for the National Family Planning Program (“Title
X”);
(2) expand Medicaid family planning services for low-income women;
(3) end insurance discrimination against women by requiring private
health plans to cover FDA-approved prescription contraceptives and related
medical services to the same extent that they cover prescription drugs and other
outpatient medical services;
(4) improve awareness about emergency
contraception;
(5) require hospitals receiving federal funds to offer
emergency contraception to women who survive sexual assault;
(6) provide funding for grants to public and private entities to
establish or expand teen pregnancy prevention programs and for comprehensive
sexuality education;
(7) require federally funded programs that
teach about sexual health and behavior or that teach
abstinence-only-until-marriage to provide medically accurate information.
Contact your Senators and ask them to support women’s reproductive health by
becoming a co-sponsor of this bill.
Meet the Reproductive Health Care Needs of Women in the Military
Current law prohibits women from obtaining abortion care at U.S. military
hospitals, even if they pay for this care with their own private funds. For
military women and dependents stationed overseas, this restriction poses grave
health risks as local facilities are often inadequate or entirely
unavailable. At a time when we are expecting so much from U.S.
Servicewomen and military families, it is particularly critical that the federal
government take positive steps to meet their reproductive health care
needs.
We are hopeful that this Congress will reverse the abortion ban for women in
the military in the coming months. Stay tuned for more information,
updates and action items.
Ensure Abortion Care for Low-Income Women
For 30 years, Congress has banned public funding of virtually all abortions
for poor women. The prohibition, named after Representative Henry Hyde of
Illinois, an anti-choice legislator, who retired from Congress last year,
excludes abortion from the list of comprehensive health services provided to
low-income women on Medicaid. Under Hyde, a poor woman can rely on
Medicaid to absorb health care costs associated with carrying a pregnancy to
term; however, if she decides instead to end a pregnancy, with a few rare
exceptions, coverage is denied.
To mark the 30th anniversary of this law, the reproductive rights community
is raising awareness about the impact of the prohibition and asking federal and
state lawmakers to repeal the public funding ban. Although it is unlikely
that the amendment will be repealed this year, this educational effort will help
to create the momentum necessary for repeal in the near future.
Contact your members of Congress and ask them to lift the ban on abortion
funding for poor women.
Stop Funding for Dangerous Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage
Programs
Since 1996, the federal government has spent more than one
billion dollars to fund abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. The ACLU
opposes funding for these programs because they contain medical inaccuracies,
violate First Amendment guarantees, stigmatize and exclude gay teens, and censor
information that could benefit young people.
Over the next several months, the pro-choice coalition will work with members
of Congress to increase oversight of abstinence-only-until-marriage funding,
require abstinence-only programs to provide medically accurate and complete
information, and explore opportunities to fund better and more comprehensive
programs that give teens the information they need to lead healthy lives.
Stay tuned for more information.
Beware of Possible Anti-Choice Measures
Although pro-choice leaders can now more readily control which legislation
moves in Congress, in some instances, particularly in the Senate, individual
members can still force lawmakers to consider dangerous measures that will
curtail reproductive freedom.
We will remain vigilant and prepared to defeat extreme measures that remain
anti-choice priorities. These include the Child Interstate Abortion
Notification Act, a dangerous bill that would restrict a teenager’s ability to
obtain an abortion outside of her home state with or without her parents’
knowledge, and the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act, which mandates the provision
of misleading information to women.
Become a Reproductive Freedom Fighter
Help us protect your right to reproductive freedom throughout the coming
year. Receive regular updates on federal legislation and become part of
the ACLU Action Network.
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