Urge "NO Stupak-Pitts Amendment" in Senate Health Care Reform
Call Senator Barbara Mikulski and Senator Ben Cardin right away and let them know how disgusted you are by what happened in the House, and ask for their pledge not to support any similar provision in the Senate bill.
Senator Barbara Mikulski - 202-224-4654
Senator Ben Cardin - 202-224-4524
The Stupak-Pitts Amendment was brought to the floor after a late-night, backroom deal with religious zealots, and as a result, women could be facing the most serious challenge ever to our constitutionally protected reproductive rights.
The Stupak-Pitts Amendment was unnecessary: The Hyde Amendment already ensures that no federal funds will be used to pay for abortion -- regardless of whatever health care bill becomes law.
The Stupak-Pitts Amendment would, for the first time, make it difficult or impossible for women spending even 100% of their own money to cover abortion through private insurance plans … if they happen to have purchased insurance through a health insurance exchange.
This is unconscionable! Urge Senators Mikulski and Cardin to take a strong stand against any similar measures. NOW will not support health reform that harms women.
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TAKE ACTION NOW!
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We MUST protect our rights!
We NEED you on the streets! NOW!
After a backroom deal late Friday night, and a floor vote late Saturday night, the House has accepted restrictions on abortion that go far beyond the despicable Hyde Amendment, which has denied federal funding of abortion since 1976. We must denounce the House’s passage of the Stupak Amendment. We can not allow the Senate to incorporate similar language in its own bill. For more information, please see the following statement from our President Terry O’Neill: http://www.now.org/press/11-09/11-08.html
Please join together with NOW activists over the lunch hour tomorrow to make sure our Senators know women are watching. We will rally on the sidewalks for all women, because we have been left out of the House health care bill.
DATE: Monday, November 9
TIME: 12 p.m. (noon)
LOCATION: Meet at the corner of Constitution and Delaware -- Walking a loop around Russell, Dirksen and Hart Senate Office Buildings
BRING: * Cameras
* NOW Rounds (we will bring some
for those who need them)
* Homemade signs* (please remember
to write on both sides of the signs)
NOW will bring additional signs for those who need them.
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NOW Opposes Health Care Bill That Strips Millions of Women of Abortion Access Says Bill Obliterates Women's Fundamental Right to Choose
Statement of NOW President Terry O'Neill
November 8, 2009
The House of Representatives has dealt the worst blow to women's fundamental right to self-determination in order to buy a few votes for reform of the profit-driven health insurance industry. We must protect the rights we fought for in Roe v. Wade. We cannot and will not support a health care bill that strips millions of women of their existing access to abortion.
Birth control and abortion are integral aspects of women's health care needs. Health care reform should not be a vehicle to obliterate a woman's fundamental right to choose.
The Stupak Amendment goes far beyond the abusive Hyde Amendment, which has denied federal funding of abortion since 1976. The Stupak Amendment, if incorporated into the final version of health insurance reform legislation, will:
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Prevent women receiving tax subsidies from using their own money to purchase private insurance that covers abortion;
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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;
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Prevent low-income women from accessing abortion entirely, in many cases.
NOW calls on the Senate to pass a health care bill that respects women's constitutionally protected right to abortion and calls on President Obama to refuse to sign any health care bill that restricts women's access to affordable, quality reproductive health care.
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NOW Vows to Press Forward
After Fairness Defeated in Maine,
Cheers Victory in Washington State
The National Organization for Women is extremely saddened by the rejection of fairness for same-sex couples in Maine, but while cheering a victory in Washington state.
Last May, Maine ended marriage discrimination for same-sex couples by allowing them to marry. Last night, voters rejected that decision by taking away that right.
"This defeat is a painful setback for loving same-sex couples and their families in Maine, but the fight is not over," says NOW President Terry O'Neill. "NOW activists will continue the struggle to eliminate discrimination and realize the promise of equality and fairness."
In Washington state, Referendum 71 upholds important legal protections for state-registered domestic partners. The results indicate that Washingtonians came together to support lesbian and gay families.
Referendum 71 enables lesbians and gays to cover their partners with health insurance, take unpaid leave to care for them, and provide death benefits for their children -- protections that heterosexual couples take for granted.
Although the legislation in Washington stops short of providing marriage equality, it is an important step forward.
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Landmark Federal Hate Crimes Bill
Signed Into Law
Maryland NOW celebrates today's signing of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into federal law. This landmark legislation expands the previous definition of federal hate crimes -- which covered attacks motivated by race, color, religion or national origin -- to include those based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.
This is a watershed moment for a couple of reasons. It's the first time Congress passed a law that acknowledges that lesbian and gay people are citizens. And it also acknowledges that women are far too often the target of violence simply because we are women.
We have been stunned by reports of a lone gunman in Lancaster County, allowing little boys and their teacher to flee their classroom and then killing five little girls. A Pennsylvania man who walked into a gym aerobics class and opened fire, killing three women and wounding nine before turning the gun on himself. His motive being his hatred of women. Or that murder is the leading cause of death for pregnant women.
It's well past time we made a federal case of these crimes!
"The Matthew Shepard Act is a significant victory for all of us," said NOW President Terry O'Neill, "I am thrilled that the dedication and hard work of our activists around the county have paid off."
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Maryland National Organization for Women
For Immediate release
Maryland NOW Thanks Senators Mikulski and Cardin for their Leadership In Pushing Heath Care Reform that Benefits Women
The Maryland Chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) wants to recognize Senator Barbara Mikulski for her exceptional leadership in drawing attention to the many inequities that women face under our current health care system. Senator Mikulski organized nine female legislators to speak on the floor of the Senate on this important topic that has received too little attention.
In her statement Senator Mikulski called attention to the reality that women “pay more” for health insurance and “get less” -- here is more of what the Senator had to say:
Today our health care system offers women skimpy and spartan coverage. It often doesn’t cover basic women’s health care like maternity care and O.B. services, or preventive care like mammograms and pap tests. Women are denied coverage because of “pre-existing conditions,” including C-sections, past pregnancies and domestic violence. We don’t believe in battered women, whether it’s in the home or in the insurance market place.
We women pay more and we get less. A 25 year old woman is charged up to 45 percent more than a 25 year old man with the same health status for the same policy. And once she reaches 40, it can be up to 140 percent more.
We women are here to fight for change - to end the punitive practices of insurance companies that discriminate on the basis of gender and pre-existing conditions. We want to protect and strengthen Medicare, to emphasize quality and prevention to save lives and save money, and to expand access to health care reform in a well-paced, phased-in and affordable way. … [we want] to improve women’s access to affordable, quality health care. … [and stop] insurance companies from charging women higher premiums or refusing to cover victims of domestic violence. [We want] insurance companies to cover basic health care - like maternity care… [and] coverage for screening and preventive services, like mammograms and pap tests, at minimal or no cost. … [W]e are fighting for - equal benefits for equal premiums.
Maryland NOW would also like to thank Senator Ben Cardin for addressing this important issue in his public statements.
Denying women maternity care or charging women more money for the exact same policy is simply unacceptable. I want to be assured that my wife, daughter and granddaughters can get the type of care they need, when they need it. Every woman in America deserves that same confidence.
For too long the health insurance industry has gotten away with discriminating against women through higher costs, lower benefits and unacceptable exclusions. Consumer protections like these are at the very heart of the health care reform legislation working through Congress. We have a responsibility to act where the private insurance companies have refused.
Women in Maryland and across the country deserve affordable, quality health care that covers ALL our health care needs.
From left to right: Allendra Letsome (Membership Vice President), Bonnie Grabenhofer (Executive Vice President), Erin Matson (Action Vice President), and Terry O'Neill (NOW President)
Maryland NOW Congratulates Our New National Officers
In June the National Organization for Women elected new leadership at its annual conference in Indianapolis. President Terry O'Neill, Executive Vice President Bonnie Grabenhofer, Action Vice President Erin Matson, and Membership Vice President Allendra Letsome will lead NOW for the next four years. O'Neill and Letsome are both Maryland residents, and former MD NOW state president and co-president. Grabenhofer is a former Illinois state president and national board member, and Matson is a former Minnesota NOW state president and national board member. For information on our new officers visit the NOW web site.
Dr. George Tiller Killed by Anti-abortion Fanatic
Sunday, May 31: We are learning across the Washington area today that Dr. George Tiller of Witchta, Kansas was shot and killed today at the Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita, where he regularly attended services. Dr. Tiller, director of the Women's Health Care Services clinic, perservered for several decades in providing late-term abortion procedures for women -- one of the few facilities in the U.S. to do so -- against bombings, horrible protests, and -- of late -- legal action.
The clinic's philosophy: "Women and Families are intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, and ethically competent to struggle with complex health issues - including abortion -- and come to decisions that are appropriate for themselves."
Please check back with this web site, or National NOW's site - www.now.org - for more information about local or area actions to honor Dr. Tiller and commiting to continue our work to keep abortion safe, legal and accessible for women in this country.
This is a very sad day for all people who support a woman's right to choose.
Members of the Media:
Please click here for a statement from Maryland NOW.
Please contact our president, Beth Corbin, for a statement on behalf of our organization.
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MD NOW President's Message:
Maryland NOW Congratulates Judge Sonia Sotomayor on her Historic Nomination : President Obama announced his Supreme Court nominee, Judge Sonia Sotomayor. National NOW President Kim Gandy said: "She brings a lifelong commitment to equality, justice and opportunity, as well as the respect of her peers, unassailable integrity, and a keen intellect informed by experience. President Obama said he wanted a justice with "towering intellect" and a "common touch" and he found both in Judge Sotomayor."
President, Maryland NOW
Maryland NOW News!
View Maryland NOW's Spring-Summer 2009 Newsletter online!
MD NOW Officers
Go to the About section and click on the officers link to contact any of them via email. You may use the contact form or call the MD NOW phone number.
Our Founding Mother's Scholarship Fund!
In 2006 we lost a Maryland NOW member who clearly left her mark on each of us and our organization. Dolly Yvonne Packard was an extraordinary feminist who graced our NOW world for 40 years. In 2007, a former Maryland NOW President and Maryland NOW Council Member, Dot Howze, lost a battle with cancer. We also lost a leader in our Frederick Chapter, Sandra West, who over the years had been Maryland NOW Treasurer and PAC Treasurer as well a leader in her own community.
We created a scholarship fund for contributions that were made in honor of Dolly three years ago, and we plan to move from this to create an ongoing fund from memorials we've received from members and friends honoring all these women. We hope to pass the torch in this way for others to benefit from the honors others gave in these womens' names. Please contact our President for more information if you are interested in applying for a grant from this fund. Contact our Treasurer if you'd like to donate.
