Reproductive Rights

I enjoyed talking to Eleanor Clift last week about the future of EMILY's List -- not just electing more women, but growing our community of activists and supporters significantly -- doubling and doubling again, as I have pledged. I am confident that this growth will be fueled by our commitment to electing strongly pro-choice Democratic women.

As American women face increasing challenges over the right to control our bodies from far-right extremists, we reflect on past battles for moments of inspiration. Forty-six years ago, women (well, married women, with this initial victory) gained the right to access and use birth control.

Health care coverage is dominating the news cycle lately, and rightfully so.

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In a full-page ad published in The Hill today, the Susan B. Anthony List takes on “the convictions” of Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood. Among other factoids, the group claims that 98% of Planned Parenthood’s services to pregnant women were abortions.

I first learned about GOP-backed H.R. 3, the bill that would redefine rape, last week from Nick Baumann’s reporting in Mother Jones, and like so many others, I was shocked, upset, and – make no mistake – angry.

Earlier today, EMILY's List Executive Director, Amy, sent an email to our members asking them to take action. As Amy wrote, the anti-woman agenda of the House Republicans is headed to the Senate and we need to let our EMILY's List senators know they have the support of this entire community as they fight for the millions of American women and families at risk.

Read Amy's message:

Dear Friends,

Here they go again: just when you thought H.R. 3 – the bill that became notorious for initial language that would redefine rape – was bad enough, it gets worse. As reported by Nick Baumann in Mother Jones today, the passage of the bill would result in the IRS having to audit the reason for a woman’s abortion.

Dana Goldstein's post on TAPPED yesterday about the effect of health care reform on women highlighted what many of you may already know: women are in a very unique position when it comes to reform.

Some facts you don't want to miss:

We’ve been keeping close watch on H.R. 3, the GOP-supported bill that would be harmful to women and their families by limiting their access to abortion and overall reproductive health care. Earlier this week, Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Richard Blumenthal wrote for the EMILY’s List blog about this restrictive legislation and how dangerous it is for American women.

What are you doing on Thursday? Wherever you are, you can help protect women’s health care.

Rain or shine, EMILY’s List will be standing with Planned Parenthood, Senate and House Leaders, national celebrities, and activists and allies from across the country in support of the “Stand up for Women’s Health Rally” on the National Mall. Women’s health supporters from near and far are descending on Washington D.C. to tell lawmakers that women’s health is NON-NEGOTIABLE.

The time to take action is urgent -- no matter where you are.