ALL Activists,
As most of you know, the Stupak Amendment is a huge and very real threat to women's reproductive rights. If passed, it would not only codify the Hyde Amendment (which prohibits federal funding abortions except in the extreme cases of rape, incest, or danger for the life of the mother), but would go even further and largely limit women's access to abortion care by limiting insurance coverage. Women would not be able to use government insurance plans to cover costs associated with abortions. But the whole idea of public coverage is that it's there for us when we find ourselves in unexpected situations...like unexpected pregnancies.
To be able to provide abortion coverage under the Stupak Amendment, an insurance company would have to create two entirely separate plans, one with abortion coverage and one without. The one without would be cheaper, easier to manage, and more preferable for any individual or company (many women have healthcare only because their company covers them) who doesn't have the money or desire to pay for the more expensive plan just in case. Since it would be a big hassle for insurance companies to keep track of two very differently managed plans, and since the abortion plan is less likely to be paid for by those that might at some point need the coverage, the fear is that the insurance companies will eventually just stop providing it. And then women are without coverage. SCARY!
So, Berkeley NOW will be joining in on the December 2nd national day of action, along with most feminist organizations that...exist. The Stupak Amendment already passed in the House, but a lighter -- though still quite harmful -- Senate bill was recently moved to the floor for debate and will be voted on on Dec. 7th. We need to make sure that any anti-abortion measures don't make it into the final version of the Senate bill, and we need every voice we have to be heard to make it happen. So, now is the time for you to call your senators and LET THEM KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT THEY VOTE AGAINST ANY ANTI-ABORTION PROVISIONS THAT GO BEYOND THE CURRENT LAW.
Refer to http://www.capwiz.com/now/dbq/officials/ to search for who to call, or if you want to call your Senators for CA, they are:
Sen. Feinstein
DC Office: (202) 224-3841
SF Office: (415) 393-0707
Sen. Boxer
DC Office: (202) 224-3553
SF Office: (415) 403-0100
If you want to be connected to the national switchboard, that number is (202)225-3121.
Berkeley NOW will also be on Sproul tomorrow, Dec. 2, with these info sheets and a petition that you all can sign and we will send in at the end of the day. You can make calls with us on Sproul, you can make calls at home, you can make calls on your way to class, just please make them! You don't have to go into a lot of detail; just explain that you are a constituent and that you are counting on [senator's name] to keep any anti-abortion provisions that go beyond the current law out of the senate bill. You can say that you are calling on behalf of NOW if you wish (just please don't say anything that could possibly paint us in a negative light!). If you are feeling more confident, feel free to say a tiny bit about why you think it's so important, given the info included above or any knowledge you have of your own too.
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Quick summary/inspiration for calling purposes:
While I support health care reform, I do not support selling women's fundamental rights in order to buy votes.
Do not support the Stupak Amendment. If incorporated into the final version of health insurance reform legislation, will:
* Prevent women receiving tax subsidies from using their own money to purchase private insurance that covers abortion;
* Prevent women participating in the public health insurance exchange, administered by private insurance companies, from using 100 percent of their own money to purchase private insurance that covers abortion;
* Prevent low-income women from accessing abortion entirely, in many cases.
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Thank you for standing up for women's rights!
For additional information: http://www.capwiz.com/now/issues/alert/?alertid=14342106