Women's Campaign Forum

Healthcare Reform Proves Women’s Health Remains Target for Attack

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 21, 2010

Healthcare Reform Proves Women’s Health Remains Target for Attack

Washington, D.C. – In reaction to last-minute efforts by reproductive health opponents to further restrict women’s reproductive choices, Siobhan “Sam” Bennett, President/CEO of WCF, released this statement:

“As we near the end of this healthcare reform process, one thing remains clear: Women’s health continues to be attacked instead of valued. Instead of focusing on improving the healthcare needs of all Americans, U.S. Congress debated on further restrictions to reproductive health. In order to ensure the passage of the healthcare bill, Speaker Pelosi and President Obama negotiated with anti-reproductive rights Congress members. Once again, women’s health served as a political football.”

“Not only should this serve as a wake-up call on the second-class status of women in our country, but also how critical women’s representation in government truly is. If women held 50 percent of the seats in Congress, attacks on women’s health would be minimal and rejected if proposed.”

“If women had equal representation in Congress, bills like Stupak-Pitts would not stand a chance of passing. Our president would not have to issue executive orders to appease reproductive choice opponents. But with women only comprising 17 percent of Congress, women’s health is consistently vulnerable—and will continue to be attacked until more women’s voices are part of the debate.”

“If we want to ensure that women’s health will be valued and protected in the future, we must support female candidates now. Only when we have equal representation at all levels of public office can we begin to fix the years of anti-choice, anti-woman legislation passed in this country.”

“I look forward to the day where we can truly focus on fixing the problems of our society—instead of how to continue controlling the personal, private medical decisions of Americans.”

Contact: Erin Cutraro, 314-827-6149