National Abortion Federation Blog: Saporta Reporter

Today we issued the following statement:

Throughout his 35 years on the Supreme Court, Justice John Paul Stevens has been an influential member of the Court known for his protection of civil rights and civil liberties. We thank him for his years of dedicated public service, and wish him well in his retirement.

Justice Stevens consistently and vigorously upheld the protections of Roe v. Wade. He voted to uphold a woman's right to choose in several important cases, including Casey and Stenberg (Carhart I). Most recently in Carhart II, Stevens joined Justice Ginsburg's impassioned dissent attacking the majority for placing women's health in danger when the Court upheld a federal law banning certain abortion procedures in 2007. In 2000, Stevens wrote the majority opinion in the Court’s decision to uphold a Colorado buffer zone measure that protected women seeking abortion care from harassment.

The Supreme Court plays a critical role in protecting women’s access to abortion care, and the last two cases involving abortion (Carhart I and II) have been decided by just one vote. This vacancy is an opportunity for President Obama to select a justice who will uphold the right to privacy found in the United States Constitution with the same vigor as Justice Stevens.

Labels: Obama Administration, Supreme Court

Today, Vicki Saporta, President and CEO of the National Abortion Federation (NAF), commended President Obama and Congress for lifting a longstanding ban that prohibits DC from using its locally raised revenue to help low-income women obtain the abortion care they need.

“We are pleased that Congress and the President have removed this discriminatory policy, which has for far too long interfered with DC women’s ability to access safe, legal abortion care,” said Saporta. “This prohibition also interfered with the rights of DC residents and has effectively prevented the DC government from assessing and meeting the needs of its community.”

Since 1977, the Hyde Amendment has prohibited the use of federal Medicaid funds to pay for medically necessary abortion care for most low-income women, except in very limited circumstances. Although states may use non-federal funds to pay for abortion care, since 1988 Congress has restricted DC from using its own locally raised funds to provide abortion care to low-income women. DC now has the ability to choose how to direct its local Medicaid funds.

President Obama signed the FY 2010 Budget, which lifted the ban on the District’s use of locally raised funds for abortion care. This is a major step forward for women in our nation’s capitol.

Labels: Medicaid, Obama Administration, women

Yesterday, we released the following statement commending the U.S. House of Representatives for lifting a longstanding ban that prohibits DC from using its locally raised revenue to help low-income women obtain the abortion care they need:

This prohibition interfered with the rights of DC residents and has effectively prevented the DC government from assessing and meeting the needs of its community. We are pleased that the House has removed this discriminatory policy, which has for far too long interfered with DC women’s ability to access safe, legal abortion care.

Since 1977, the Hyde Amendment has prohibited the use of federal Medicaid funds to pay for medically necessary abortion care for most low-income women, except in very limited circumstances. Although states may use non-federal funds to pay for abortion care, since 1988 Congress has restricted DC from using its own locally raised funds to provide abortion care to low-income women.

President Obama’s FY 2010 Budget called on Congress to lift the ban on the District’s use of locally raised funds for abortion care. We urge the Senate to join the House in taking action to end this discriminatory policy.

Labels: abortion bans, funding, Hyde, Obama Administration

Yesterday, we released the following statement:

We are deeply disappointed that President Obama failed to strike federal funding restrictions on abortion care from his proposed budget.

Federal funding restrictions are the most significant barrier to abortion access for low-income women. These funding restrictions unfairly jeopardize the health and well-being of millions of women who rely on the federal government for their health care. Women affected include low-income women who are enrolled in Medicaid, Peace Corps volunteers, Native American women, women in federal prisons, and federal employees.

During these difficult economic times, it is more important than ever that all women have access to quality, affordable health care including abortion care. For 30 years, NAF has been operating a national, toll-free hotline to provide women with factual information, options counseling, referrals to providers of quality care, and limited financial assistance. In the last year, call volume to our Hotline has nearly tripled. We hear from thousands of women each week who are struggling to afford the abortion care they need. It is critically important that the health care needs of these women not be overlooked.

As we move forward with health care reform, we call on the President and Congress to work together to ensure that women have access to comprehensive health care, including abortion care.

Labels: access, hotline, NAF, Obama Administration, women

Wednesday, the Senate rejected a bill to reinstate the Global Gag Rule by a vote of 60-37. This policy prohibits any foreign organization receiving U.S. aid from providing, referring to, or even advocating for abortion care. During his first week in office, President Obama struck down this devastating policy so that women and families around the world could access the quality, comprehensive health care they need.

>Learn more about the Global Gag Rule.

Labels: federal legislation, Global Gag Rule, Obama Administration

Today, we released the following statement:

Today, President Barack Obama rescinded the Global Gag Rule. We commend President Obama for swiftly taking this important step toward expanding access to reproductive health care for millions of women around the world.

Originally authored during the Reagan Administration, the Global Gag Rule prohibits international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that receive U.S. government funds from using their own private funds to provide abortions. The policy also prevents NGOs from lobbying their own government for a change in abortion laws, conducting public education campaigns about abortion, referring women to safe abortion providers, or even providing medically accurate counseling about abortion to their clients.

The Global Gag Rule was rescinded by President Clinton in 1993, and then re-implemented by President G.W. Bush on his first day in office in 2001.

This draconian policy has been devastating for the millions of women in developing nations who rely upon NGOs for essential health care services. As a result of President Obama’s Executive Order, women and families around the world will once again be able to access the comprehensive health care they need.

Labels: Bush Administration, Global Gag Rule, Obama Administration

Today, we released the following statement:

Thirty-six years ago today, the Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that the right to privacy found in the United States Constitution included the right of women to terminate a pregnancy. This landmark decision has protected the health and saved the lives of countless women.

Today’s important anniversary is just one of the reasons we have to celebrate this week. Tuesday, the world watched the inauguration of a pro-choice President. We look forward to working with the Obama Administration to protect women’s access to safe, legal abortion care. Although it’s been 36 years since abortion was legalized, women still face barriers to accessing the care they need and we urge President Obama to:

• Immediately rescind the Global Gag Rule, which prohibits international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that receive U.S. government funds from using their own private funds to provide abortions, lobbying their own government for a change in abortion laws, or even providing medically accurate counseling about abortion to their clients. Nearly 70,000 women in developing countries die each year from unsafe abortions. The policy was repealed by President Clinton in 1993, and then re-implemented by President G.W. Bush on his first day in office in 2001.

We also call on Congress and the Obama Administration to:

• Address barriers low-income women face when obtaining abortion care. Bans on public funding for abortion services have severely restricted access to safe abortion care for women, disproportionately affecting low-income and minority women.
  
• Ensure comprehensive health care coverage for women, which includes abortion care. This Administration must address the need for health care reform that guarantees equal access to comprehensive, high quality health care, including access to abortion care for women.
  
• Improve access to abortion care for women in the military. Current law forbids military hospitals from providing abortion care except in cases of rape, incest, or life endangerment. Federal funding is only available for abortions needed in cases of life endangerment. These policies significantly burden service women and military dependents around the world who rely on military hospitals for their health care needs.

We must also remain vigilant in protecting abortion providers. We urge the Department of Justice to:

• Reinvigorate the Task Force on Violence Against Health Care Providers to maximize the level of coordination among federal, state, and local agencies and to ensure that existing laws prohibiting clinic violence, including the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, are fully enforced.

As we enter this new era of American politics, we look forward to working with the Obama Administration, Congress, and the Department of Justice to ensure that abortion is safe, legal, and accessible to promote health and justice for women.

Labels: Global Gag Rule, Obama Administration, providers, women in the military

A last-minute Bush Administration “provider conscience” regulation is facing serious objections, including from the government agency responsible for enforcing job discrimination laws. Three top officials from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) are protesting the proposed regulation because they say it would overturn 40 years of civil rights law prohibiting employee discrimination based on religion.

Longstanding federal employment anti-discrimination laws already strike a careful balance that requires employers to balance respect for their employees’ religious beliefs with meeting their patients’ health care needs. This proposed regulation would broaden the scope of existing federal refusal laws beyond Congressional intent and put ideology before sound health care practices.

The EEOC’s protest is also echoed by many in the medical community, including the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association, and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, which have urged the Bush administration to withdraw the proposed regulation. According to the New York Times, aides to the Obama Administration have said that the President-elect will try to rescind the regulation once he takes office, a process that could take from three to six months.

Labels: access, Bush Administration, HHS, Obama Administration

Advisers to President-elect Barack Obama have authored a list of 200 Bush administration actions that could quickly be undone to promote change, a Washington Post article reports. Among the policies being considered for quick reversal is the Bush administration’s Global Gag Rule.

Originally authored during the Reagan Administration, the Global Gag Rule prohibits international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that receive U.S. government funds from using their own private funds to provide abortions. The policy also prevents NGOs from lobbying their own government for a change in abortion laws, conducting public education campaigns about abortion, referring women to safe abortion providers, or even providing medically accurate counseling about abortion to their clients. The policy was rescinded by President Clinton in 1993, and then re-implemented by President G.W. Bush on his first day in office in 2001.

In many rural areas worldwide, foreign NGOs are the only healthcare providers. The Global Gag Rule endangers already vulnerable women by further curtailing their access to safe and accurate reproductive health care.

>Learn more about international abortion issues.

Labels: access, Bush Administration, Global Gag Rule, international, Obama Administration