NARAL Pro-Choice New York President Kelli Conlin Joins Senator Hillary Clinton and Allies in Denouncing Proposed HHS Regulations
Today NARAL Pro-Choice New York President Kelli Conlin joins Senator Hillary Clinton and other pro-choice allies in denouncing newly proposed government regulations that would block access to contraception for millions of women nationwide.
Earlier this week, the Bush Administration proposed new regulations to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that redefine abortion so broadly as to include forms of birth control. Under these regulations, anyone working at a hospital, clinic, or provider’s office that receives federal aid would have free reign to refuse women abortions and even contraception.
Today we gather with Senator Hillary Clinton, once again, to thank her for her bold stand against yet another discriminatory and dangerous policy proposed by the Bush Administration.
It was two years ago that many of us joined Senator Clinton to call for the FDA to issue a ruling on over-the-counter access to emergency contraception, against the ideological wishes of the Bush Administration. We were victorious then and we believe we will be again. The American people overwhelmingly agree that women deserve access to contraception and the right to decide when to become a parent. This new rule change would undermine those values and it would undermine the laws of New York State, as well.
In the last few years, New York State has widely endorsed pro-active and affirmative legislation that ensures access to contraceptive care for all women who need it, especially those in crisis. The people of our state, through bi-partisan legislation, agreed that a woman who has been raped should be able to enter an emergency room and get emergency contraception without delay or shame. This rule change would mean that a victim of a violent crime could be denied care.
We’ve also agreed that contraception should be covered by insurance companies as widely as other prescription medications. New York State has led by passing the Women’s Health and Wellness Act, which ensures this right. Again, this new
rule could undermine the provision and destroy that access for women in our state.
We have worked hard in our state, as many groups have across the nation, to ensure that women have options available to them to prevent unintended pregnancies and to reduce abortions. And yet, it seems that, once again, President Bush wants to put roadblocks in front of women who seek to plan their pregnancies or to get care after a violent crime.
Thankfully, Senator Clinton is standing up to protect the health care of millions of women. We join her in asking HHS to reject this dangerous, ill-conceived, ideologically biased proposal.
