Stupak Amendment Shifts U.S. Abortion Policy

Anti-choice representatives in the house slipped a late-hour amendment into the health care reform bill passed last weekend. The Stupak amendment makes it virtually impossible for women who access coverage through the newly created insurance exchange, to get coverage for an abortion. Even when they pay the premiums for coverage themselves!

This restriction effectively creates new federal policy on reproductive rights, by expanding limitations on access to abortion under the Hyde Act of 1976. Most notably, the policy disproportionately affects struggling lower income women. What never ceases to amaze me, is that those who would legislate restriction on reproductive rights, are often the same folks who would restrict, or eliminate, assistance to poor families. Where are the values in that? Keep the poor and disadvantaged, poor and disadvantaged, that's where.

If this amendment and it's impact on women concerns you, write a letter. MoveOn.org recommends writing to your local newspaper, as it creates a louder overall response, and has a bigger impact in Washington. They have a great letter-writing tool you can use available here.

If you prefer to write your representatives directly, here are the contacts:

House of Representatives Contact Directory
U.S. Senate Contact Directory

You should create your own letter, which is in your own words. But for inspiration, here is the letter I sent to the San Francisco Chronicle, my representative Nancy Pelosi, and my senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein. Brief, and to the point:

"The Stupak Amendment effectively shifts policy on reproductive rights in the United States. It will have a disproportionate impact on poor and disadvantaged women. This hijacking of health care legislation is a travesty, and must be reversed."