Send a message they can't miss

Written by: Mary R on Nov 17, 2009 12:00 PM EST

Passing healthcare reform in the House of Representatives a week ago came at a high price to women. While the overall bill is the largest expansion of women's access to healthcare services in history, there is one area in which the bill took a giant leap backwards: reproductive rights. 



That's because right before the House voted on the entire bill, they first passed an amendment that dramatically expanded the ban on federal funding of abortion services. The amendment bans even private for-profit insurers from covering abortion as a part of women's reproductive healthcare for all plans in the insurance exchange created by the healthcare bill. 



Millions of women will be affected if it remains in the final bill that goes to the President's desk. 



And to make it worse -- 20 of the 64 Democrats who joined with Republicans to pass this amendment were previously pro-choice. All 20 are men who ran on and have a record of casting pro-choice votes in the past. These Democrats were elected by voters who never expected their representative would take America back to an era of coat hangers and back alley abortions. 



We're joining with CREDO Action to send them a message: reconsider your vote and demand Congressional leadership strip the ban from the final bill before it comes back to the House for the final vote. 



To make sure this is one message these men won't miss, we're not stopping there. CREDO Action will send these Reps a coat hanger for every person who signs the petition.


SIGN THE PETITION -- AND SEND A COAT HANGER NOW

We're not being subtle and we're not mincing words. If the ban isn't stripped out in merging negotiations between the House and Senate bills during the conference process, then the final bill would take reproductive rights back to the dark ages.

Whether you're pro-choice or not, it's legal. So, it's up to all us to make sure it's safe. Join CREDO Action's campaign today and make sure these formerly pro-choice Democrats get the message.

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