Results tagged “Chris Smith” from Blog for Choice
Anti-choice protestors from far and wide flooded the streets of Washington, D.C. to participate in the annual anti-choice "March For Life."
Several anti-choice members of Congress spoke at the march this year. Do any of these names ring a bell for you?
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Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), among his many accomplishments, masterminded 10 votes on choice in the last Congress! Among them were the "Let Women Die" bill, and an attempt to defund Planned Parenthood. |
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Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is infamous for trying to sneak a "personhood" amendment into a flood-insurance bill. Sen. Paul also filed several amendments to a bill that would have given the District of Columbia autonomy of its own budget, including one that would permanently ban the District from using its own funds to pay for abortion care for low-income women. |
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Rep. Diane Black (R-TN) showed that pushing an anti-choice agenda is her top priority when she reintroduced a bill to defund Planned Parenthood - just two days into the 113th Congress. |
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Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL) co-chairs the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus and recently criticized the Roe v. Wade - the Supreme Court decision that recognized a woman's right to safe, legal abortion care. |
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And Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), who also sits on the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, voted to ban health-insurance coverage for abortion care. He also criticized President Obama for being the "abortion president" on the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. |
All in all, this is a pretty spectacular roundup of the most extreme anti-choice politicians who work every day to block a woman's right to access reproductive-health care.
Let these extreme anti-choicers know that you believe a woman's right to safe, legal, abortion care should be protected.
Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R.3, the extreme "rape-audits" bill, by a vote of 251-175.
Before the vote, we took a close look at eight representatives. So how did these eight vote?
ALL eight of them voted for H.R.3 and the War on Women:
Rep. Mary Bono Mack (CA-45)Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (NY-25)Rep. Mark Critz (PA-12)Rep. Chris Gibson (NY-20)Rep. Nan Hayworth (NY-19)Rep. Leonard Lance (NJ-7)Rep. Dan Lipinski (IL-3)Rep. Heath Shuler (NC-11)
These eight representatives are going to have some serious explaining to do the next time they meet their constituents.
They're going to have to explain why they want to prompt the Internal Revenue Service to audit sexual-assault survivors who choose abortion care.
They're going to have to explain why they want to impose tax penalties on small businesses that offer comprehensive health insurance.
They're going to have to explain why they have not passed one single bill that would create jobs, yet have made waging a War on Women one of their "highest legislative priorities."
At the same time, many of our pro-choice champions in the House spoke out against this far-reaching attack on women's freedom and privacy.
Special thanks go out to Reps. Rob Andrews of New Jersey, Karen Bass of California, Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, Bruce Braley of Iowa, Lois Capps of California, Judy Chu of California, John Conyers of Michigan, Joseph Crowley of New York, Susan Davis of California, Diana DeGette of Colorado, Ted Deutch of Florida, Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, Keith Ellison of Minnesota, Eliot Engel of New York, Anna Eshoo of California, Sam Farr of California, Jim Himes of Connecticut, Maurice Hinchey of New York, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton of Washington, D.C., Reps. Rush Holt of New Jersey, Steny Hoyer of Maryland, Barbara Lee of California, Sander Levin of Michigan, Nita Lowey of New York, Carolyn Maloney of New York, Jerrold Nadler of New York, Nancy Pelosi of California, Gary Peters of Michigan, Mike Quigley of Illinois, Laura Richardson of California, Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, Louise Slaughter of New York, Jackie Speier of California, Niki Tsongas of Massachusetts, Peter Welch of Vermont, and Lynn Woolsey of California.
If your representative voted for this attack on women's health, he or she needs to hear from you.
And if your representative stood up for women and voted no, make sure you send them your thanks.
Tags:
abortion audit, Ann Marie Buerkle, Chris Gibson, Chris Smith, Dan Lipinski, heath shuler, hr3, Internal Revenue Service, irs, Leonard Lance, Mark Critz, mary bono mack, Nan Hayworth, no taxpayer funding of abortion act, rape audit, Stupak on Steroids, United States House of Representatives, war on women,
Moments ago, H.R.3, the extreme "rape-audits" bill, passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 251-175.
251 representatives just voted for a bill that manipulates the tax code to advance anti-choice policies and could spur the IRS to audit rape and incest survivors who choose abortion care.
Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said the country's pro-choice majority will fight back:
Now the fight moves to the Senate.
We're at a critical moment in the War on Women.
Tomorrow, the U.S. House of Representatives will hold a floor vote on H.R.3, the extreme "rape-audits" bill introduced by anti-choice Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey. Tax experts say that this anti-choice bill could force sexual-assault survivors who choose abortion care to prove the assault occurred to the Internal Revenue Service.
A recent article in Mother Jones also raises new questions about the bill's rape-related provisions.
Speaker John Boehner and other members of the anti-choice House leadership have made this dangerous bill one of their "highest legislative priorities." And now, they're about to reward their extreme anti-choice base.
Your member of Congress needs to hear from you right now. Let your representative know that if he or she votes for the War on Women, you'll be voting for a new lawmaker in 2012.
There are eight representatives we're watching closely. The following three lawmakers defeated pro-choice incumbents in the 2010 elections:
Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (NY-25)Rep. Chris Gibson (NY-20)Rep. Nan Hayworth (NY-19)
The next two lawmakers claim to be moderates when it comes to a woman's right to choose, but, can they be counted on to oppose Boehner's extreme agenda?
Rep. Mary Bono Mack (CA-45)Rep. Leonard Lance (NJ-7)
And the final three are anti-choice Democrats who are co-sponsors of the "rape-audits" bill:
Rep. Mark Critz (PA-12)Rep. Dan Lipinski (IL-3)Rep. Heath Shuler (NC-11)
These eight lawmakers need to know that their constituents are watching them, and that we'll remember how they voted on the War on Women when the 2012 elections roll around.
If you live in one of these districts, make sure you contact your member of Congress!
(Rep. Gibson is my representative, and I've already let him know that if he votes for the War on Women, he'll be looking for a new job after the next election.)
We don't have a moment to lose: contact your representative now! Make sure that these politicians know that we, the people, do not want this War on Women.
Tags:
Ann Marie Buerkle, Chris Gibson, Chris Smith, Dan Lipinski, forcible rape, heath shuler, hr3, irs, John Boehner, Leonard Lance, Mark Critz, mary bono mack, Mother Jones (magazine), Nan Hayworth, no taxpayer funding of abortion act, rape audit, Stupak on Steroids, United States House of Representatives, war on women,
If you're joining us in Washington, D.C. for pro-choice lobby day (and I certainly hope you are), you can use social media to share your experiences.
When you get to lobby day, check in on Foursquare or Facebook Places!
We'll also be live-tweeting and live-blogging the events here on Blog for Choice.
If you're on Twitter, you can follow and add to the conversation by using the hashtag #Rally4Health.
If you have a smart phone, upload your photos to the NARAL Pro-Choice America Facebook page.
Got last-minute questions? Here's our answer page!
Tomorrow, we, the people, will tell our elected representatives to STOP the War on Women.
Tags:
4/7, Abortion, anti-choice agenda, anti-choice attacks, april 7, boehner, cancer screenings, Chris Smith, Foursquare, house, hr3, hr358, joe pitts, lobby day, Mike Pence, NARAL Pro-Choice America, national mall, No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act, pap, Planned Parenthood, Pro-choice, Pro-life, Senate, Twitter, war on contraception, war on women, Washington D.C.,
Last month, while the U.S. House of Representatives debated cutting all funding for Planned Parenthood health centers, anti-choice Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey launched into a tirade over abortion.
Rep. Jackie Speier of California stood up to his anti-choice distortions by sharing her own, deeply personal story.
Well yesterday, Rep. Speier joined hundreds of our pro-choice activists for a lobby-day mobilization call. She reminded all of us that this debate is not about abstract legislative deals. The policies behind the anti-choice attacks will have a negative effect on our sisters, our cousins, our friends, our neighbors--the women important to us.
Rep. Speier urged pro-choice Americans to come to Washington D.C. on April 7 for pro-choice lobby day to help stop the repeated attacks on our rights.
In addition to hearing Rep. Speier's inspiring comments, participants also heard from Ted Miller, communications director at NARAL Pro-Choice America; Donna Crane, our policy director; and Elizabeth Shipp, our political director.
Donna shared how the attacks we see now compare to the far-right's 35-year strategy to roll back our rights, and how women's lives would change for the worse. Elizabeth provided critical details about lobby day, including times.
To listen to the call and hear Rep. Speier's inspiring story and NARAL Pro-Choice America's speakers, right click this link and select "Save Target As..." to download and save it.
We need to show Speaker Boehner that we are not going to stand for defunding Planned Parenthood. We are not going to stand for allowing hospitals to let women die at emergency rooms. We are not going to stand for forcing even more trauma on rape and incest survivors.
It is these attacks that compel us to unite in Washington on April 7. Join us to STOP the War on Women.
Thank you to Rep. Jackie Speier and all of the activists who joined us on this call. If you couldn't make it, we hope you listen to the call.
Tags:
4/7, abortion audit, april 7, cancer screenings, Chris Smith, continuing resolution, cr, Family planning, hr3, Jackie Speier, lobby day, NARAL Pro-Choice America, No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act, pap, Planned Parenthood, Pro-choice, rape and incest exceptions, Stupak on Steroids, United States House of Representatives, war on contraception, war on women, Washington D.C.,
With the anti-choice leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives taking its War on Women to dangerous new extremes, the whole pro-choice movement is banding together.
NARAL Pro-Choice America is partnering with MoveOn.org and EMILY's List to stop a bill that could subject survivors of sexual assault who choose abortion care to "rape audits" by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Under H.R.3, the extreme "Stupak on Steroids" bill, women could be forced to describe the traumatic experience of being sexually assaulted to an agent from the IRS. According to Mother Jones, the bill could "turn IRS agents into abortion cops."
These "rape audits" would place the burden of proof on the woman to show that she really was the survivor of sexual assault.
And H.R.3 is not just fringe legislation that doesn't stand a chance of passing. It takes 218 votes to pass anything in the House. Right now, H.R.3 has 221 co-sponsors. If a vote were held today, this bill would pass the House!
Americans have had enough of the War on Women and are calling on Speaker John Boehner and other anti-choice politicians to end these outrageous attacks on freedom and privacy.
Now through April 15, our progressive coalition is gathering signatures to send to Speaker Boehner by Tax Day. The message: Stop the rape audits.
Tags:
4/7, abortion audit, abortion cops, april 7, Chris Smith, EMILY's List, hr3, incest, Internal Revenue Service, irs, John Boehner, lobby day, Mother Jones, MoveOn.org, NARAL Pro-Choice America, No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act, rape, rape and incest exceptions, rape audit, Sexual assault, Stupak on Steroids, tax, tax day, tax increase, United States House of Representatives, war on women,
Just when you thought the attacks on women's health couldn't get any more extreme, the anti-choice leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives opened up a new front.
More media outlets are reporting that H.R.3, the dangerous "Stupak on Steroids" bill, could subject survivors of rape and incest who choose abortion to audits by the Internal Revenue Service:
These outrageous "abortion audits" would place the burden of proof on the woman:
Under standard audit procedure, a woman would have to provide evidence to corroborate facts about abortions, rapes, and cases of incest, says Marcus Owens, an accountant and former longtime IRS official. If a taxpayer received a deduction or tax credit for abortion costs related to a case of rape or incest, or because her life was endangered, then "on audit [she] would have to demonstrate or prove, ideally by contemporaneous written documentation, that it was incest, or rape, or [her] life was in danger," Owens says. "It would be fairly intrusive for the woman."
This shocks the conscience. Members of the anti-choice House leadership campaigned on promises of less government intrusion in our personal, private lives. Now these same politicians are making it so that rape survivors will have to relive their horrifying experiences with an agent from the IRS.
As extreme as this "Stupak on Steroids" bill is, it now has 221 co-sponsors--more than enough votes to pass the House!
We're calling on the co-sponsors of H.R.3 to explain to their constituents why they want to give the IRS authority to audit rape survivors. In particular, we're focusing on these seven representatives:
Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle of New York
Rep. Sean Duffy of Wisconsin
Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania
Rep. Dan Lipinski of Illinois
Rep. Dan Lungren of California
Rep. Steve Stivers of Ohio
Rep. Tim Walberg of Michigan
If you live in one of these members' districts, call your representative. Ask why he or she wants the IRS to conduct abortion audits of rape survivors.
Find out whether your member of Congress is a co-sponsor of the "Stupak on Steroids" bill, and let him or her know what you think of these dangerous attacks on women's freedom and privacy.
Tags:
4/7, abortion audit, american prospect, Ann Marie Buerkle, april 7, Chris Smith, Congress, DailyKos, Dan Lipinski, Dan Lungren, house, hr3, Internal Revenue Service, irs, lobby day, Mike Fitzpatrick, Mother Jones (magazine), New York, No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act, rape and incest exceptions, rape audit, Republicans, sean duffy, Steve Stivers, Stupak on Steroids, ThinkProgress, Tim Walberg, United States House of Representatives, war on women,
The anti-choice leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives is waging a War on Women, and the attacks keep getting more extreme.
Mother Jones is reporting that H.R.3, the dangerous "Stupak on Steroids" bill, could subject survivors of rape and incest who choose to terminate their pregnancies to audits by the Internal Revenue Service.
Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, which helped break this story, called the bill a callous assault on women's freedom and privacy:
This bill gets more outrageous and insulting by the day. Not only would a woman have to describe her sexual assault to the police, but she could then be forced to relive that horrifying experience with an agent from the IRS. The 221 members of Congress who signed their names to this egregious bill must explain to their constituents why they want to give the IRS authority to audit rape survivors.
Why, indeed?
It's yet another way these anti-choice politicians are pushing for more government intrusion in our personal, private lives--not less.
Tags:
Abortion, Abortion debate, Chris Smith, Congress, house, hr3, Internal Revenue Service, irs, Mother Jones (magazine), Nancy Keenan, NARAL Pro-Choice America, No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act, Rape, rape and incest exceptions, rape audit, Stupak on Steroids, United States House of Representatives, war on women,
Bloomberg is reporting that even Grover Norquist, president of the conservative group Americans for Tax Reform, thinks anti-choice politicians have gone one step too far in manipulating the tax code to advance an extreme anti-choice agenda.
Here's what Norquist had to say about H.R.3, the extreme "Stupak on Steroids" bill, which will be heard today by a House Ways and Means subcommittee:
We're just concerned that policy, however well-intentioned or virtuous, not ever mask a net tax increase.
While anti-choice lawmakers continue to repeat the myth that H.R.3 is about public funding for abortion care, the legislation actually denies standard tax credits to small businesses and many individuals who purchase private insurance plans that include coverage for abortion care.
Anti-choice lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives are out of control.
First, they voted to eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood and the Title X family-planning program, taking away millions of Americans' access to birth control, cancer screenings, Pap smears, and other basic health care.
Next, these politicians are moving full throttle on H.R.3, the dangerous "Stupak on Steroids" bill. This bill manipulates the tax code to advance an extreme anti-choice agenda. It would force millions of small businesses to pay taxes on their health-insurance benefits if their plan includes abortion care. About 87 percent of insurance plans on the market currently offer abortion coverage.
Anti-choice House Speaker John Boehner called waging war on women's freedom and privacy one of his "highest legislative priorities," and he's kept his promise to the rabid right-wing base.
Now, we, the people, are saying "enough is enough"!
We're taking our message to Washington on Thursday, April 7 for a 5,000-person pro-choice lobby day. We'll be joined by pro-choice organizations, including Planned Parenthood, and, hopefully, you.
Here's how it will work:
If your representative is pro-choice, your activism will inspire him or her to speak out for choice on the floor of the House.
If your representative is anti-choice, he or she needs to know that a vote for the War on Women will not be forgotten in 2012!
We're arranging buses in some cities and we'll give you all the training and materials you need. You'll meet other pro-choice activists and make a direct impact in stopping the War on Women.
Sign up today! We need to know who's coming so we can schedule meetings with lawmakers.
Pro-choice members of the U.S. House of Representatives are standing up and saying "stop" to the anti-choice leadership's War on Women.
Let's give three cheers for the pro-choice representatives on the House Judiciary Committee who spoke out yesterday against H.R.3, the extreme "Stupak on Steroids" bill.
Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, the committee's ranking member, and Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York led the charge against the "Stupak on Steroids" bill. Rep. Nadler called the bill, which manipulates the tax code to advance an extreme anti-choice agenda, "an unprecedented attack on women, families, and their rights under the Constitution."
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida called out an earlier version of H.R.3 that would have redefined rape as a "violent act against women." Although the bill's sponsors caved to public pressure on that issue, H.R.3 still poses a grave threat to women's access to critical care.
Reps. Zoe Lofgren of California and Hank Johnson of Georgia voiced their opposition to the anti-choice leadership's attacks on women's health care.
Rep. Conyers proposed an amendment to the bill that would have protected Washington, D.C.'s right to use its own money to pay for abortion care for low-income women.
This amendment was rejected.
Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois proposed an amendment to ensure that women could access insurance that covers their reproductive-health needs.
This amendment was rejected.
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas proposed an amendment that would have protected a woman's access to abortion care in situations where it's necessary to protect her health.
This amendment was rejected.
Rep. Judy Chu of California proposed an amendment clarifying that hospitals may not allow women in need of life-saving abortion care to die.
This amendment was also rejected.
Kudos to these representatives for standing up to fight against the anti-choice House leadership's War on Women.
And some extra-loud jeers to two of the most strident anti-choice members of the committee, Reps. Dan Lungren of California and Trent Franks of Arizona, who belittled women's personal, private medical decisions.
Tags:
Abortion debate, Chris Smith, Dan Lungren, DC, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, emtala, h.r.3, hank johnson, house, Hyde Amendment, Jerrold Nadler, jerry nadler, John Conyers, Judiciary Committee, Judy Chu, Mike Pence, mike quigley, No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act, Sheila Jackson Lee, Stupak on Steroids, tax code, Trent Franks, United States House of Representatives, war on contraception, war on women, Zoe Lofgren,
The anti-choice leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives continues to wage its War on Women.
Less than two weeks after the House voted to eliminate all funding for Planned Parenthood, the Judiciary Committee voted today to advance H.R.3, the "Stupak on Steroids" bill introduced by Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey. The "Stupak on Steroids" bill is one of the farthest-reaching assaults on women's freedom and privacy that we've seen in years.
Anti-choice politicians are trying their best to downplay just how extreme H.R.3 is, casting it as merely a continuation of existing policy. Their claim couldn't be further from the truth: the "Stupak on Steroids" bill is a radical new attack on women's access to abortion care.
Let's get to the facts:
- This bill is not about public funding. Federal law is clear: federal funding of abortion is forbidden, except in very narrow circumstances.
- The bill manipulates the tax code to advance an extreme anti-choice agenda. It would force millions of small businesses to pay taxes on their health-insurance benefits if their plan includes abortion. About 87 percent of insurance plans on the market currently offer abortion coverage.
- The bill resurrects the core provisions of the failed Stupak-Pitts abortion-coverage ban, and jeopardizes the ability of private citizens to use their own dollars to purchase abortion coverage in the new health system.
These anti-choice politicians' chutzpah is astounding: after campaigning on an agenda of jobs and less government, they've now voted to impose tax penalties on small businesses that offer comprehensive health insurance!
Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, called today's vote another front in the anti-choice House leadership's War on Women:
Less than two weeks ago, the House leadership launched a full-scale assault on women's access to birth control, cancer screenings, Pap smears, and other basic health care. Now, they are waging a war on women in the private insurance market. This bill jeopardizes the ability of insurance companies to cover abortion care, even for women with wanted pregnancies who experience unanticipated health-related complications, such as breast cancer. Abortion may be the best option to protect their health and ensure they can have children in the future, yet this bill tells insurance companies they can't cover this care.
The anti-choice House leadership's plan is clear: to end insurance coverage for abortion and make it as difficult as possible for any woman -- under any circumstances, or in any situation -- to access abortion care.
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to eliminate all funding for Planned Parenthood--a declaration of war on contraception, cancer screenings, and other basic health-care that family-planning centers, such as Planned Parenthood, provide to millions of American women and men.
These same anti-choice politicians are also pushing ahead with the extreme "Stupak on Steroids" agenda, one of the farthest-reaching assaults on women's freedom and privacy that we've seen in years.
A bill introduced by Rep. Joe Pitts of Pennsylvania would allow hospitals to refuse to provide abortion care even when it's necessary to save a woman's life!
Do these attacks on women's health make you mad as hell? Well, you can do something about it!
Congress is on recess this week, and members are at home in their districts to listen to constituents. Visit your member's district office and tell him or her that you oppose the "Stupak on Steroids" agenda!
If your representative is pro-choice, your support will help him or her stand strong against these dangerous attacks. If your legislator is on the fence about this anti-choice legislation, he or she needs to get the facts from a constituent, like you, who will hold him or her accountable. And if your legislator is anti-choice, he or she needs to know that voting against a woman's right to choose will always come at a political cost.
If you want to bring your voice to your lawmakers in Washington, D.C., join us for Pro-Choice Lobby Day on Thursday, April 7!
America's pro-choice majority is fired up and ready to go tell our lawmakers to stop the dangerous "Stupak on Steroids" agenda. We'll provide training and organize lobby visits with members of Congress from your state.
Politicians who campaigned on an agenda of jobs and the economy are now focused on defunding Planned Parenthood and attacking a woman's ability to make personal, private medical decisions.
It's time that they heard from the American people about what we think of their backwards priorities!
Tags:
Abortion, Abortion debate, Chris Smith, continuing resolution, cr, h.r.217, h.r.3, h.r.358, joe pitts, Joseph R. Pitts, lobby day, Lobbying, Mike Pence, No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act, Planned Parenthood, Pro-choice, Protect Life Act, Republican, Stupak on Steroids, title x, United States House of Representatives,
The anti-choice leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives continues to wage its war against contraception.
Late last night, the House debated an amendment introduced by anti-choice Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana that would eliminate all funding for Planned Parenthood.
The same people who promised a jobs agenda are now focused on blocking women's access to contraception, cancer screenings, and other basic health care that family-planning centers, such as Planned Parenthood, provide to millions of American women and men.
Rep. Jackie Speier of California stood up to anti-choice distortions by sharing her own story:
Thank you, Rep. Speier, for your bravery in sharing this deeply personal story.
Check back with Blog For Choice as more pro-choice representatives speak out against the war on contraception. Here's what Reps. Mike Quigley of Illinois and Louise Slaughter of New York are saying.
Tags:
abortion, amendment, birth control, cancer screenings, Chris Smith, continuing resolution, contraception, cr, family planning, family-planning, h.r.217, health center, Jackie Speier, Louise Slaughter, Mike Pence, mike quigley, Planned Parenthood, Stupak on Steroids, United States House of Representatives,
Elizabeth Shipp, political director at NARAL Pro-Choice America, has a new post up on The Huffington Post calling out the hypocrisy of the new anti-choice members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The post's key theme is that elections have consequences.
Elizabeth notes that many candidates who campaigned last fall on an agenda of "jobs, jobs, jobs" have now switched their focus to attacking a woman's right to make personal, private medical decisions.
In The Huffington Post and other major media, NARAL Pro-Choice America is getting the word out about the dangerous and extreme "Stupak on Steroids" agenda.
Tags:
Abortion, abortion restrictions, andy harris, ann marie buerkle, Chris Smith, dan maffei, elections, h.r.3, h.r.358, Huffington Post, joe pitts, Mike Fitzpatrick, No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act, Protect Life Act, stupak, Stupak on Steroids, Tim Walberg, United States House of Representatives,
Rather than worrying about jobs and the economy, the anti-choice leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives is devoting two days to attacking women's health care.
Yesterday afternoon, the Judiciary subcommittee on the Constitution held a hearing on H.R.3, the "Stupak on Steroids" bill introduced by Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey.
The committee's anti-choice leadership brought in two "expert" witnesses. The first was Richard Doerflinger, associate director of the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities of the U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops. (Whether Mr. Doerflinger was called as an expert on women or on medicine, I'm not quite sure.) The second was Cathy Ruse from the Family Research Council.
Ruse and Doerflinger tried their best to downplay just how extreme H.R.3 is, casting it as merely a continuation of existing policy. Their claim couldn't be farther from the truth, so let's get to the facts:
- This bill is not about public funding. Federal law is clear: federal funding of abortion is forbidden, except in very narrow circumstances.
- The legislation would force millions of American families to pay more taxes if their health plan covers abortion care, jeopardizing abortion coverage in the private market. About 87 percent of insurance plans on the market currently offer abortion coverage.
- The bill jeopardizes the ability of private citizens to use their own dollars to purchase abortion coverage in the new health system, and levies harsh financial penalties on businesses and families who choose comprehensive insurance coverage.
Don't be fooled: The ramifications of deciding that the tax code is 'public funding' are huge and completely wrong.These anti-choice activists' plan is clear: to end insurance coverage for abortion and make it as difficult as possible for any woman -- under any circumstances -- to access abortion care. Doerflinger made this clear when he admitted that his organization does not support any exceptions for survivors of rape or incest, period.
Before the hearing, some of our pro-choice champions spoke out against the "Stupak on Steroids" bill at a press conference. Kudos to Reps. Judy Chu of California, John Conyers of Michigan, Jerrold Nadler of New York, Mike Quigley of Illinois, Maxine Waters of California, and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton of Washington, D.C. for standing up for women's health and privacy.
And special thanks to Dana Weinstein, who bravely shared her heartbreaking story.
The hearings continue at 1 p.m. today! Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, and our affiliate network submitted written testimony to the Energy and Commerce health subcommittee in opposition to H.R.358, the Pitts bill, which among other things allows hospitals to deny women life-saving care.
NARAL Pro-Choice America will closely monitor how this hearing unfolds.
Tags:
abortion restrictions, abortion riders, Cathy Ruse, Chris Smith, Dana Weinstein, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Energy and Commerce Committee, Family Research Council, h.r.3, h.r.358, Jerrold Nadler, joe pitts, John Conyers, Judiciary Committee, Judy Chu, Maxine Waters, No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act, Protect Life Act, Richard Doerflinger, stupak, Stupak on Steroids, subcommittee, Trent Franks, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops,
The anti-choice leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives is forging ahead with its extreme and broad "Stupak on Steroids" agenda, holding two committee hearings on two anti-choice bills, H.R.3 and H.R.358, this week.
Major news media are reporting on these outrageous attacks on women's health and privacy, and are turning to NARAL Pro-Choice America for information.
The Hill,
Politico,
The Boston Globe,
Mother Jones,
McClatchy Newspapers,
Fox News Channel,
Talking Points Memo,
DailyKos,
and BBC News are just some of the organizations that have cited NARAL Pro-Choice America's analysis.
And they're off!
The anti-choice leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives is kicking off its extreme "Stupak on Steroids" agenda with a key committee hearing this afternoon. At 4 p.m. today the Judiciary subcommittee on the Constitution will hold a hearing on H.R.3, the "Stupak on Steroids" bill introduced by Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey.
Among many egregious provisions, this bill would force millions of American families to pay more taxes if their health plan covers abortion care, jeopardizing abortion coverage in the private market. About 87 percent of insurance plans on the market currently offer abortion coverage.
Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, has submitted written testimony to the subcommittee detailing how the "Stupak on Steroids" bill would restrict women's ability to make personal, private medical decisions. We'll be monitoring this hearing closely, and provide more information here at Blog for Choice after it happens.
Today's hearing is just the first game in an anti-choice double-header. At 1 p.m. tomorrow, the Energy and Commerce health subcommittee will hold a hearing on H.R.358, which was introduced by Rep. Joe Pitts of Pennsylvania. This bill would allow hospitals to refuse to provide abortion care even when it's necessary to save a woman's life!.
Creating jobs and getting the economy back on track? Pffff--that's so 2010!
Speaker John Boehner called attacking a woman's right to choose one of his "highest legislative priorities," and these hearings show us he means it.
Fortunately, pro-choice allies in the House and Senate are standing up to fight the dangerous "Stupak on Steroids" agenda. Senators Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Barbara Boxer of California, Al Franken of Minnesota, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, and Patty Murray of Washington held a press conference this morning calling on the anti-choice House leadership to focus on jobs and the economy--not attacking women's health and privacy.
And Rep. Lois Capps of California wrote an op-ed in Politico this morning calling on the House leadership to stop its attacks on choice.
Tags:
abortion, abortion restrictions, Al Franken, Barbara Boxer, Chris Smith, Frank Lautenberg, h.r.3, h.r.358, joe pitts, Joseph R. Pitts, Kirsten Gillibrand, Lois Capps, Nancy Keenan, No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act, Patty Murray, Politico, Protect Life Act, Richard Blumenthal, stupak, Stupak on Steroids, Stupak-Pitts,
The anti-choice leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives is moving full steam ahead this week with its extreme and broad "Stupak on Steroids" agenda that could change women's access to abortion forever.
First, we've got the "Stupak on Steroids" bill, H.R.3, introduced by Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey. It is one of the farthest-reaching assaults on women's freedom and privacy that we've seen in years.
H.R.3 is getting a lot of attention, but it's not the only attack on women's access to abortion care gaining momentum in the House. Rep. Joe Pitts of Pennsylvania, of Stupak-Pitts fame, is pushing H.R.358. It has the same Stupak-abortion coverage ban that we beat before, but it would also allow hospitals to refuse to provide abortion care, even when it's necessary to save a woman's life!
When it comes to pushing these bills, the anti-choice House leaders aren't letting the grass grow under their feet. Tomorrow, February 8, the Judiciary Committee constitution subcommittee will hold a hearing on H.R.3, the "Stupak on Steroids" bill. And on Wednesday, February 9, the Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on H.R.358. That's right - that's two hearings on two anti-choice bills in two days.
Here's a side-by-side comparison of how these two bills attack a woman's right to choose:
| Anti-Choice Attacks | "Stupak on Steroids" bill (H.R.3) | Pitts bill (H.R.358) |
| Bans private coverage of abortion care in new health-care system | X | X |
| Expands refusal laws (hospitals and other health-care corporations can refuse to provide reproductive-health services) | X | X |
| Includes tax penalties for purchasing private-insurance plans that cover abortion care | X | |
| Recodifies Hyde amendment (ban on public funding for abortion care) and other anti-abortion provisions | X | |
| Allows hospitals to refuse to provide life-saving abortion care to women | X | |
| Creates jobs and gets the economy back on track |
Rep. Pitts, who's about as anti-choice as they come, was hand-picked by the National Right to Life Committee to serve as chairman of the Energy and Commerce health subcommittee. Now, he oversees important women's health programs, from health-care reform to family-planning services. Talk about the fox guarding the henhouse!
Why push several anti-choice bills at once? It's part of the House leadership's multi-pronged strategy to wear away at the right to choose at all levels. After all, anti-choice Speaker John Boehner called attacking choice one of his "highest legislative priorities."
Both H.R.3 and H.R.358 include anti-choice measures that were part of the Stupak-Pitts abortion-coverage ban that Americans rejected during the debate over health-care reform. Both bills are extreme and open the door to more political interference in women's personal, private decisions.
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