tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78252876893752091472024-03-09T18:47:05.924-08:00Antoinette Bonsignore's BlogAntoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-64895437361140785932022-02-05T22:17:00.002-08:002022-02-05T22:43:27.968-08:00URGENT #WASTATE LEGISLATIVE ACTION ALERT! Please Support Sexual Assault Survivors! <p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-34e73dec-7fff-9ad4-db42-9e5a5e7d1e7d" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The House Appropriations Committee Must Add House Bill 1916 to the Public Hearing List by Monday, February 7th!</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">FYI: Here is the link to the legislative page for HB 1916, Supporting crime victims and witnesses by promoting victim-centered, trauma-informed responses in the legal system.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1916&Initiative=false&Year=2021" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1916&Initiative=false&Year=2021</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brief Summary of House Bill 1916</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">• Requires the Crime Victim Compensation Program to reimburse a state resident for any costs billed to them for a sexual assault forensic examination by an out-of-state facility.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">• Expands the current statutory rights afforded to crime victims, survivors, and witnesses to apply to any forensic civil commitment proceeding and any sexually violent predator civil commitment proceeding.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">• Requires peace officers to complete training through the Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) on a victim-centered, trauma-informed approach to responding to gender-based violence.\</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">• Requires the CJTC to develop and conduct specialized training for persons responsible for prosecuting sexual assault cases involving adult victims.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">• Creates a grant program for establishing a statewide resource prosecutor for sexual assault cases.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">• Requires the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to conduct research on best practices and develop training for responding to sexual assault and supporting survivors in schools.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HERE IS A SAMPLE EMAIL MESSAGE</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Subject Line</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Please Add HB 1916 To The Public Hearing List by Monday, February 7th </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dear Members of the House Appropriations Committee:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am writing to urge the Committee to add HB 1916, Supporting crime victims and witnesses by promoting victim-centered, trauma-informed responses in the legal system, to the public hearing list by Monday, February 7th. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HB 1916, sponsored by Representative Tina Orwall, will further the critical advancement of Washington State’s ongoing legislative campaign to deliver long-delayed justice for all sexual assault survivors. HB 1916 will (1) advance critical reform in the way law enforcement and prosecutors investigate and prosecute sexual assault cases, (2) further advance the Survivors’ Bill of Rights, and (3) advance research on best practices and develop training for responding to sexual assault and supporting survivors in K-12 schools.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Holding a public hearing for HB 1916 will advance a critical justice imperative for all sexual assault survivors. The critical justice and the public safety imperatives demand the continuation of Representative Orwall’s sexual assault survivors legislative campaign by holding a public hearing for HB 1916 by Monday, February 7, 2022. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thank you for your time and consideration of this critical legislation. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sincerely,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Name]</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Address]</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Phone number and email]</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SEND EMAIL to the FOLLOWING REPRESENTATIVES - COPY and PASTE</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Timm.Ormsby@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steve.Bergquist@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Drew.Stokesbary@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mia.Gregorson@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Drew.MacEwen@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matt.Boehnke@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kelly.Chambers@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Michelle.Caldier@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bruce.Chandler@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Frank.Chopp@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eileen.Cody@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chris.Corry@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Laurie.Dolan@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary.Dye@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Joe.Fitzgibbon@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Noel.Frame@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Drew.Hansen@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paul.Harris@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Larry.Hoff@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cyndy.Jacobsen@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesse.Johnson@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Debra.Lekanoff@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nicole.Macri@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gerry.Pollet@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Skyler.Rude@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cindy.Ryu@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Joe.Schmick@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tana.Senn@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Larry.Springer@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mike.Steele@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Monica.Stonier@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pat.Sullivan@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steve.Tharinger@leg.wa.gov</span></a></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AND ALSO CC THE FOLLOWING</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></p><p><a style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tina.Orwall@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kelly.Leonard@leg.wa.gov</span></a> </p>Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-24629737930163327362021-02-08T15:23:00.001-08:002021-02-09T19:06:40.124-08:00URGENT: WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATIVE ALERT HB 1109! PLEASE SUPPORT SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS!<p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">URGENT: WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATIVE ALERT HB 1109</span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">PLEASE SUPPORT SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">THE HOUSE RULES COMMITTEE MUST PASS HB 1109 OUT OF COMMITTEE WITHOUT DELAY!</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PLEASE TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION! </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Please Urge the House Rules Committee To Pass HB 1109 Out of Committee! </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 2.16; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">FYI</span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Here is the link to the legislative page for HB 1109, Concerning Victims of Sexual Assault: </span><a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1109&Year=2021&Initiative=false" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1109&Year=2021&Initiative=false</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HERE IS A SAMPLE EMAIL MESSAGE</span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Subject Line</span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Please Pass HB 1109 Out of Committee </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 2.16; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dear Members of the House Rules Committee:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 2.16; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am writing to urge your support for HB 1109, Concerning Victims of Sexual Assault, sponsored by Representative Tina Orwall. I urge the Committee to pass HB 1109 out of committee without delay. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 2.16; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The public safety imperative for enacting HB 1109 is critical for Washington State. With the enactment of HB 1109, Washington State will further the critical advancement of our state’s ongoing legislative campaign to deliver long-delayed justice for all sexual assault survivors. With the enactment of HB 1109, Washington State will advance critical reform in the way law enforcement and prosecutors investigate and prosecute sexual assault cases. By passing HB 1109 out of committee, Washington State will also advance the Survivors’ Bill of Rights. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 2.16; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Passing HB 1109 out of committee will further advance a critical justice imperative for all survivors. These critical justice and public safety imperatives demand the continuation of Representative Orwall’s sexual assault survivors legislative campaign by passing HB 1109 out of committee and enacting this vital legislation. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 2.16; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thank you for your time and consideration of this critical legislation. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 2.16; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sincerely,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 2.16; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Name]</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 2.16; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Address]</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 2.16; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Phone number and email]</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HERE IS A LISTING OF THE COMMITTEE EMAILS THAT YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE</span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Laurie.Jinkins@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steve.Bergquist@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Michelle.Caldier@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lauren.Davis@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tom.Dent@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jeremie.Dufault@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Greg.Gilday@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jenny.Graham@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mia.Gregerson@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paul.Harris@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cyndy.Jacobsen@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mark.Klicker@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Joel.Kretz@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">John.Lovick@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Melanie.Morgan@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a id="docs-internal-guid-9df887f2-7fff-d8d8-0c34-64581ce8a649" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lillian.Ortiz-Self@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tina.Orwall@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alex.Ramel@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marcus.Riccelli@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eric.Robertson@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tarra.Simmons@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Larry.Springer@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Monica.Stonier@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pat.Sullivan@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My-Linh.Thai@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amy.Walen@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">JT.Wilcox@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LET’S GET HB 1109 TO GOVERNOR INSLEE’S DESK! </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS!</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" />Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-75523507157173331252020-02-20T06:54:00.004-08:002020-02-20T06:54:48.152-08:00WAState Legislative Alert: Support Sexual Assault Survivors Urge the #WAState Senate Law & Justice Committee to Support and Vote HB 2318 Out of Committee <div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-147bc581-7fff-02f6-f8ba-24eb6c23f6eb" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#WAState Legislative Alert: Support Sexual Assault Survivors </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Urge the #WAState Senate Law & Justice Committee to Support and </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vote HB 2318 Out of Committee</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">New rape kit proposal by Rep. Tina Orwall needs attention from 2020 Washington Legislature | Justice for rape survivors is unfinished business. Here’s what Washington state should do in 2020: </span><a href="https://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/editorials/article239359558.html#storylink=cpy" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/editorials/article239359558.html#storylink=cpy</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brief Summary of Substitute Bill HB 2318</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Advancing criminal investigatory practices. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sponsors: Orwall, Lovick, Slatter, Morgan, Wylie, Mosbrucker, Pollet: </span></div>
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<a href="http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2019-20/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/House/2318%20HBR%20PS%2020.pdf?q=20200128143125" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2019-20/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/House/2318%20HBR%20PS%2020.pdf?q=20200128143125</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Requires agencies to preserve criminal investigatory records related to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) work product.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Defines "sexual assault kit" (SAK) as it relates to state law on DNA work product preservation and SAK preservation, testing, and tracking as including all evidence collected </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">during a sexual assault medical forensic examination.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Establishes storage and preservation requirements for unreported SAKs.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Modifies procedures for collecting required DNA samples from convicted offenders who will not immediately be taken into custody.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Requires the Criminal Justice Training Commission to develop a proposal for a case review program.</span></li>
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<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#WAState Legislative Alert: Urge the #WAState Senate Law & Justice Committee to Support and Vote HB 2318 Out of Committee</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Send the Following Email to the Senate Law & Justice </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Committee Members Listed Below:</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SUBJECT LINE</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Please Support HB 2318 and Stand With Sexual Assault Survivors </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">COPY AND PASTE THIS EMAIL</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dear Members of the WA State Senate Law and Justice Committee:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am writing to urge the Committee to support and vote HB 2318, Advancing criminal investigatory practices, out of Committee without delay. This critical legislation, sponsored by Representative Tina Orwall, will further advance WA State’s ongoing legislative imperative to support the need vital needs of sexual assault survivors in Washington State. Additionally, HB 2318 will further establish WA State as a national leader in the critical fight to support all sexual assault survivors. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>HB 2318 provides for the following</u>: </span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Requires agencies to preserve criminal investigatory records related to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) work product. </span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Defines "sexual assault kit" (SAK) as it relates to state law on DNA work product preservation and SAK preservation, testing, and tracking as including all evidence collected during a sexual assault medical forensic examination. </span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Establishes storage and preservation requirements for unreported SAKs.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Modifies procedures for collecting required DNA samples from convicted offenders who will not immediately be taken into custody.</span></li>
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<li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Requires the Criminal Justice Training Commission to develop a proposal for a case review program.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Again, I urge the Committee to continue to support WA State’s legislative imperative to advance the critical needs of sexual assault survivors. I urge you to continue to stand with all sexual assault survivors in WA State.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thank you for your time and consideration.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sincerely,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Insert Name]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Insert Address]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Insert Phone Number]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Insert Email Address] </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SEND EMAIL to the FOLLOWING SENATORS: COPY and PASTE</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jamie.Pedersen@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Manka.Dhingra@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mike.Padden@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jeff.Holy@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Patty.Kuderer@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesse.Salomon@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lynda.Wilson@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CC THE FOLLOWING</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tina.Orwall@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-88137845720923639842019-05-22T23:30:00.001-07:002019-05-22T23:30:15.038-07:00See #RollRedRoll in #Seattle : May 20th, May 28th, and May 29th!<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">
Join director Nancy Schwartzman and #WAState Rep. Tina Orwall <a dir="ltr" href="x-apple-data-detectors://0" style="color: black; text-decoration-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.258824);" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors="true">on Tuesday, May 28th at 6:30 pm</a> at the <a dir="ltr" href="x-apple-data-detectors://1" style="color: black; text-decoration-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.258824);" x-apple-data-detectors-result="1" x-apple-data-detectors-type="misc" x-apple-data-detectors="true">SIFF Cinema Uptown</a> in #Seattle for a panel discussion after the #RollRedRoll screening! </div>
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In this infuriating but necessary documentary, a girl is raped by high-school football players—a crime discovered when they boast about it via texts and Twitter—and the town closes ranks to protect… yep, the players.</div>
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"The much-reported 2012 case of sexual assault in Steubenville, Ohio gets re-examined in a tough yet vital new film."—The Guardian</div>
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See #RollRedRoll in #Seattle : May 20th, <a dir="ltr" href="x-apple-data-detectors://3" style="color: black; text-decoration-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.258824);" x-apple-data-detectors-result="3" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors="true">May 28th</a>, and <a dir="ltr" href="x-apple-data-detectors://4" style="color: black; text-decoration-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.258824);" x-apple-data-detectors-result="4" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors="true">May 29th</a>!</div>
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<a href="https://www.siff.net/festival/roll-red-roll">https://www.siff.net/festival/roll-red-roll</a></div>
Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-81503459668902886042019-04-09T00:21:00.001-07:002019-04-09T00:21:22.972-07:00URGENT: WASHINGTON STATE RAPE KIT REFORM LEGISLATIVE ALERT 2SHB 1166<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-a1c8c58e-7fff-33ba-2762-4f55f9b74f2f" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.9871999999999999; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">URGENT: WASHINGTON STATE RAPE KIT REFORM LEGISLATIVE ALERT 2SHB 1166</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PLEASE SUPPORT SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE MUST PASS 2SHB 1166 OUT OF COMMITTEE WITHOUT DELAY!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PLEASE TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Please Urge the Senate Rules Committee To Pass 2SHB 1166 Out of Committee! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">FYI: Here is the link to the actual legislative page for 2SHB 1166:</span></div>
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<a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1166&Year=2019" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1166&Year=2019</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING EMAIL MESSAGE</span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Subject</span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Please Pass 2SHB 1166 Out of Committee </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dear Members of the Senate Rules Committee:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am writing to urge your support for 2SHB 1166, Supporting Sexual Assault Survivors, sponsored by Representative Tina Orwall. I urge the Committee to pass 2SHB 1166 out of committee without delay. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 2.16; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The public safety imperative for enacting 2SHB 1166 is critical for Washington State. With the enactment of 2SHB 1166, Washington State will further the critical advancement of our state’s ongoing rape kit reform campaign and begin to deliver long-delayed justice for all sexual assault survivors. With the enactment of 2SHB 1266, Washington State will further establish the potential for identifying DNA matches and identifying an untold number of serial rapists, thereby leading to the potential for indictments and prosecutions. By passing 2SHB 1166 out of committee, Washington State will eliminate its rape kit backlog and establish a Survivors’ Bill of Rights. Passing 2SHB1166 out of committee will further advance a critical justice imperative for all survivors. These critical justice and public safety imperatives demand the continuation of Representative Orwall’s legislative rape kit reform campaign by passing 2SHB 1166 out of committee and enacting this vital legislation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thank you for your time and consideration of this critical legislation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sincerely,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Name]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Address]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Phone number and email]</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HERE IS A LISTING OF THE COMMITTEE EMAILS THAT YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE</span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cyrus.Habib@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Karen.Keiser@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mark.Schoesler@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Randi.Becker@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Andy.Billig@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reuven.Carlyle@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Annette.Cleveland@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bob.Hasegawa@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Curtis.King@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Patty.Kuderer@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marko.Liias@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">John.McCoy@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Joe.Nguyen@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jamie.Pedersen@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ann.Rivers@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tim.Sheldon@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shelly.Short@leg.wa.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LET’S GET 2SHB 1166 TO GOVERNOR INSLEE’S DESK! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS!</span></div>
<br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" />Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-6897581277348682472019-04-03T18:48:00.001-07:002019-04-03T19:25:30.758-07:00URGENT: WASHINGTON STATE RAPE KIT REFORM LEGISLATIVE ALERT 2SHB 1166<b><span style="font-size: large;">URGENT: WASHINGTON STATE RAPE KIT REFORM LEGISLATIVE ALERT 2SHB 1166</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>
<b>Please Support Sexual Assault Survivors!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>
<b>The Senate Ways and Means Committee Must Pass 2SHB 1166 Out of Committee by APRIL 9th!</b></span><br />
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<b>Please Urge the Senate Ways and Means Committee To Schedule 2SHB 1166 For Executive Session and Pass 2SHB 1166 Out of Committee by APRIL 9th!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Thank you for Supporting Sexual Assault Survivors!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Please Use the Following Email Message</b>:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Subject: Please Pass 2SHB 1166 Out of Committee</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Dear Members of the Senate Ways and Means Committee:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I am writing to urge your support for 2SHB 1166, Supporting Sexual Assault Survivors, sponsored by Representative Tina Orwall. I urge the Committee to schedule 2SHB 1166 for executive session and pass 2SHB 1166 out of committee without delay.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The public safety imperative for enacting 2SHB 1166, combined with Washington State’s existing legislative rape kit reform campaign, will further the critical advancement of Washington State’s ongoing rape kit reform campaign and begin to deliver long-delayed justice for all sexual assault survivors. With the enactment of 2SHB 1266, Washington State will further establish the potential for identifying DNA matches and identifying an untold number of serial rapists, thereby leading to the potential for indictments and prosecutions. By passing 2SHB 1166 out of committee, Washington State will eliminate its rape kit backlog and establish a Survivors’ Bill of Rights. Passing and fully funding 2SHB1166 will further advance the critical justice imperative for all survivors. The critical imperatives for justice and public safety demand the continuation of Representative Tina Orwall’s legislative rape kit reform campaign by passing 2SHB 1166 out of committee and enacting this vital legislation.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Thank you for your time and consideration of this critical legislation.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Sincerely,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">[Name]</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">[Address]</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">[Phone number and email]</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Here is a listing of the Committee emails that you can copy and paste</b>:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Christine.Rolfes@leg.wa.gov, David.Frockt@leg.wa.gov, Mark.Mullet@leg.wa.gov, John.Braun@leg.wa.gov, Sharon.Brown@leg.wa.gov, Jim.Honeyford@leg.wa.gov, Barbara.Bailey@leg.wa.gov, Randi.Becker@leg.wa.gov, Andy.Billig@leg.wa.gov, Reuven.Carlyle@leg.wa.gov, Steve.Conway@leg.wa.gov, Jeannie.Darneille@leg.wa.gov, Bob.Hasegawa@leg.wa.gov, Sam.Hunt@leg.wa.gov, Karen.Keiser@leg.wa.gov, Marko.Liias@leg.wa.gov, Guy.Palumbo@leg.wa.gov, Jamie.Pedersen@leg.wa.gov, Ann.Rivers@leg.wa.gov, Mark.Schoesler@leg.wa.gov, Kevin.VanDeWege@leg.wa.gov, Keith.Wagoner@leg.wa.gov, Judy.Warnick@leg.wa.gov, Lynda.Wilson@leg.wa.gov</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And here is a link to the actual legislative page for 2SHB 1166:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1166&Year=2019"><span style="font-size: large;">https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1166&Year=2019</span></a>Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-65831297475610317582018-08-25T18:10:00.001-07:002018-08-25T18:12:14.370-07:00Washington State Rape Kit Reform Campaign Fundraiser <div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="direction: ltr; font-size: 12pt; unicode-bidi: embed;">I'm raising money for the Washington State Rape Kit Reform Campaign. #ENDTHEBACKLOG </span></div>
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<span style="direction: ltr; font-size: 12pt; unicode-bidi: embed;">Click to Donate: </span></div>
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<span style="direction: ltr; font-size: 12pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"> </span><a href="https://www.gofundme.com/7n2qdz?sharetype=teams&member=481868&rcid=r01-153524527418-48d677c854234f60&pc=ot_co_campmgmt_w">https://www.gofundme.com/7n2qdz?sharetype=teams&member=481868&rcid=r01-153524527418-48d677c854234f60&pc=ot_co_campmgmt_w</a></div>
Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-67680872637306279122017-06-28T08:21:00.001-07:002017-06-28T13:53:48.922-07:00<div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">
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URGENT WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATIVE ALERT </div>
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HELP SAVE RAPE KIT REFORM IN WASHINGTON STATE </div>
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<div>
Recently enacted HB 1109 advances Washington State rape kit reform. However, HB 1109 may not become law because of the state budget stalemate. HB 1109 has a "null and void" clause that will go into effect if there is a state government shutdown.</div>
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See: If State Government Shuts Down, Some Legislation That Passed Could Be Scrapped | Seattle Weekly</div>
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http://www.seattleweekly.com/news/if-state-government-shuts-down-some-legislation-that-passed-will-be-scrapped/</div>
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<br /></div>
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Representative Tina Orwall has been lobbying state legislators to extend the null and void deadline to save HB 1109 and we will know by the end of today if HB 1109 will be included in the state budget - there is little time to act.</div>
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WE MUST ACT NOW!!</div>
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We need urgent outreach to the following budget leaders:</div>
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Please email the following legislators immediately: Here is a sample email:</div>
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Subject Line: <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Please Include and Fully Fund Rape Kit Reform Law, HB 1109</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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Dear Senators and Representatives:</div>
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I am writing to urge you to save Washington State’s critical rape kit reform law, HB 1109. I urge you to stand with sexual assault survivors and include HB 1109 in the state budget so it can be fully funded. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Thank you,</div>
<div>
[Your name]</div>
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[Your address]</div>
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[Your phone number and email address]</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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Rep. Pat Sullivan: Pat.Sullivan@leg.wa.gov</div>
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Rep. Timm Ormsby: Timm.Ormsby@leg.wa.gov</div>
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Senator Joe Fain: Joe.Fain@leg.wa.gov</div>
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Rep. June Robinson: June.Robinson@leg.wa.gov</div>
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Senator Ann Rivers: Ann.Rivers@leg.wa.gov</div>
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Senator John Braun: John.Braun@leg.wa.gov</div>
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Please email the legislators or call the Legislative Hotline: 1.800.562.6000</div>
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Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-78905943029596899802016-05-20T00:01:00.000-07:002016-05-20T00:11:42.293-07:00Domestic Violence Survivors and Abusive Litigation: The Need for Washington To Restore Its Recently Invalidated Anti-SLAPP Law<a href="https://www.kcba.org/newsevents/barbulletin/BView.aspx?Month=05&Year=2016&AID=article3.htm">https://www.kcba.org/newsevents/barbulletin/BView.aspx?Month=05&Year=2016&AID=article3.htm</a>Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-83680293399015157852016-04-15T11:51:00.002-07:002016-04-15T11:51:34.005-07:00Thousands of untested rape kits in Washington — and a possible solutionhttp://crosscut.com/2016/04/thousands-of-rape-kits-go-untested-in-washington-new-initiative-aims-to-fix-that/<br />
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<br />Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-23633055414531645582016-02-28T14:58:00.000-08:002016-03-02T08:19:10.717-08:00URGENT LEGISLATIVE ALERT for Washington State! Please Support Rape Kit Reform in Washington State! Rape Survivors Deserve Justice!!<span id="docs-internal-guid-5d0435a3-2a0d-13bf-1142-7a6bf5fe5995"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">URGENT ALERT 4 #RapeKitReform in #WAState! Urge Senate Rules Committee 2 Pull #2SHB2530 NOW! #ENDTHEBACKLOG </span><a href="http://www.antoinettebonsignore.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 18.6667px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.antoinettebonsignore.com/2016/02/urgent-legislative-alert-for-washington.html</span></a><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Learn More About 2SHB 2530</span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: You can learn more about this rape kit reform legislation at the Rape Kit WA website:</span><a href="http://www.rapekitwa.org/wa-state-2016/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 18.6667px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.rapekitwa.org/wa-state-2016/</span></a></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-5d0435a3-2a0d-13bf-1142-7a6bf5fe5995"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 18.6667px; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Please Support Rape Kit Reform in Washington State </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 18.6667px; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and Follow the Instructions Below</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 18.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emails for All of the Senate Rules Committee Members [Each Email Is Separated By A Semicolon]</span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 20.608px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Brad.Owen@leg.wa.gov; Pam.Roach@leg.wa.gov; Barbara.Bailey@leg.wa.gov;
Don.Benton@leg.wa.gov; Andy.Billig@leg.wa.gov; Maralyn.Chase@leg.wa.gov;
Bruce.Dammeier@leg.wa.gov; Doug.Ericksen@leg.wa.gov; Joe.Fain@leg.wa.gov;
Karen.Fraser@leg.wa.gov; Bob.Hasegawa@leg.wa.gov; Jim.Honeyford@leg.wa.gov;
Curtis.King@leg.wa.gov; Mark.Mullet@leg.wa.gov; Sharon.Nelson@leg.wa.gov;
Linda.Parlette@leg.wa.gov; Kirk.Pearson@leg.wa.gov; Ann.Rivers@leg.wa.gov;
Christine.Rolfes@leg.wa.gov; Mark.Schoesler@leg.wa.gov; Timothy.Sheldon@leg.wa.gov
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<span style="font-size: 18.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emails for All of the Senate Rules Committee Members [Each Email Is Separated By A Comma]</span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 20.608px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brad.Owen@leg.wa.gov, Pam.Roach@leg.wa.gov, Barbara.Bailey@leg.wa.gov,
Don.Benton@leg.wa.gov, Andy.Billig@leg.wa.gov, Maralyn.Chase@leg.wa.gov,
Bruce.Dammeier@leg.wa.gov, Doug.Ericksen@leg.wa.gov, Joe.Fain@leg.wa.gov,
Karen.Fraser@leg.wa.gov, Bob.Hasegawa@leg.wa.gov, Jim.Honeyford@leg.wa.gov,
Curtis.King@leg.wa.gov, Mark.Mullet@leg.wa.gov, Sharon.Nelson@leg.wa.gov,
Linda.Parlette@leg.wa.gov, Kirk.Pearson@leg.wa.gov, Ann.Rivers@leg.wa.gov,
Christine.Rolfes@leg.wa.gov, Mark.Schoesler@leg.wa.gov, Tim.Sheldon@leg.wa.gov
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can use the following sample message for your email to the Senate Rules Committee members. Simply copy and paste the emails for the recipients of your message and then copy and paste the sample message into the body of your email; and remember to conclude your email message with your contact information as listed below. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #292f33; font-size: 18.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sample Email Message to All Senate Rules Committee Members</span><span style="color: #292f33; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #292f33; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">March 1, 2016</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dear Senate Rules Committee Members:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am writing on behalf of bill 2SHB 2530. I urge you to pull this bill from the Senate Rules Committee by Friday, March 4th. Sexual assault centered reform, and especially rape kit reform, must continue to advance in Washington State. Rape survivors deserve justice and 2SHB 2530 will further the ongoing rape kit reform progress that is needed to realize justice for all survivors in Washington State. Please pull this bill from the Senate Rules Committee by Friday, March 4th.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thank you,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Name]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Mailing Address]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Phone Number]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 18.6667px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Subject Line</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Please Pull 2SHB 2530 from the Senate Rules Committee</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Senate Rules Committee Chair: </b>You can also call the Senate Rules Committee Chair, Senator Brad Owen, at (360) 786-7700 and urge Senator Owen to pull 2SHB 2530 from the Senate Rules Committee by Friday, March 4th.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Link to the Senate Rules Committee Homepage With Contact Information for All Committee Members</span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 20.608px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>http://leg.wa.gov/Senate/Committees/RULE/Pages/MembersStaff.aspx</u></span></span></div>
</span></span>Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-53379638908094959522012-06-22T09:00:00.001-07:002012-06-22T09:00:04.194-07:00<br />
<h2 class="itemTitle" style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 36px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 39px; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 4px;">
<a href="http://truth-out.org/news/item/9915-domestic-violence-survivors-battle-within-the-courts-confronting-retaliatory-litigation">Domestic Violence Survivors Battle Within the Courts: Confronting Retaliatory Litigation</a></h2>Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-59088850225226826832012-01-25T09:11:00.001-08:002012-01-26T03:47:17.983-08:00Sickened and Still Waiting for Justice: 9/11 First Responders and Cold War Nuclear Weapons Workers Battle for Fair Compensation<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">By: Antoinette Bonsignore: January 25, 2012: </span><a href="http://www.truth-out.org/sickened-and-still-waiting-justice/1327421898"><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Truthout</span></i></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act (</span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docket/archive/pdfs/NIOSH-226/0226-010510-act.pdf"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Zadroga Act</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">) and the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000 (</span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas/ocasabt.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">EEOICPA</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">) represent two federal reparatory and remedial compensation programs designed to compensate sickened populations unwittingly exposed to toxins while serving the nation. Both programs are, in part, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, specifically the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). As a long time advocate for sickened cold war era nuclear weapons workers battling the complexities of the EEOICPA, I have come to realize that the burdensome evidentiary hurdles they have faced over the past ten years will similarly burden 9/11 first responders and survivors in their fight to have cancer compensated under the Zadroga Act. If the Zadroga Act becomes bogged down in the search for scientific certainty regarding which 9/11 heroes will be compensated and cared for, we will not only fail to honor these heroes but NIOSH will be repeating the same mistakes that sickened nuclear weapons workers have endured for far too long under the EEOICPA. </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Currently, NIOSH is still evaluating whether there exists sufficient scientific causality to justify compensating 9/11 first responders and survivors that have developed cancer. In fact, this past July NIOSH Director John Howard issued a </span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2011-197/"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">report</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> explaining: <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Based on the scientific and medical findings in the peer-reviewed literature reported in this first periodic review of cancer for the WTC Health Program, insufficient evidence exists at this time to propose a rule to add cancer, or a certain type of cancer, to the List of WTC-Related Health Conditions. Although a determination cannot be made to propose a rule to add cancer, or a type of cancer, to the List of WTC-Related Health Conditions at this time, it is important to point out that the current absence of published scientific and medical findings demonstrating a causal association between the exposures resulting from the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the occurrence of cancer in responders and survivors does not indicate evidence of the absence of a causal association. It is expected that the second periodic review of cancer for the WTC Health Program will be conducted in early to mid-2012 to capture any emerging findings about exposures and cancer in responders and survivors affected by the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">This January 2<sup>nd</sup>, on the one year anniversary of President Obama signing the Zadroga Act into law, sickened 9/11 first responders and survivors were faced with a </span><a href="http://www.downtownexpress.com/?p=5804"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">very difficult decision</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">: in order to be considered for possible compensation benefits under the Zadroga Act these 9/11 heroes would be required to drop any possible private litigation regarding illnesses developed from toxic exposures at the WTC site. For those sickened with cancer, the choice was far more ominous since the Zadroga Act does not currently provide compensation benefits for anyone that has developed cancer – and it remains unclear when cancer victims will be covered under the Zadroga Act, if ever. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the meantime, while NIOSH continues to investigate the sufficiency of scientific evidence linking the types of toxins 9/11 first responders and survivors were exposed to at the World Trade Center (WTC) site to the increased incidence of cancer in that population, these sickened 9/11 heroes remain in an ongoing state of limbo. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">These sickened heroes wonder how long they will be asked to wait and what degree of compensation, if any, they will ever realize in their lifetimes while their medical expenses worsen with each passing day. This unconscionable uncertainty mirrors the same uncertainty sickened nuclear weapons workers have faced, and continue to face, under the EEOICPA. Department of Energy (DOE) employees, DOE employees of designated atomic weapons employers (AWE), and beryllium vendors were also unwittingly exposed to various toxins including radiation while working at former Manhattan Project facilities throughout the country. Many of the problems these workers and their survivors have faced navigating the EEOICPA deal specifically with how NIOSH’s scientists have determined whether radiation exposure could be causally connected to resulting cancers. NIOSH has been conducting a ten year review of the EEOICPA, examining how it has been implemented and administered. Specifically, NIOSH has been reviewing the scientific underpinnings used to determine compensation decisions for those workers that developed cancer and whether those resulting decisions satisfy the overall goals envisioned by President Clinton and Congress in 2000. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Working with and representing sickened workers and their families for the past eight years, I have come to understand how this kind of compensation program can be derailed from its initial, laudable intent when scientific evidentiary burdens are not properly balanced against program goals and for the people the program was intended to serve. The derailment occurs when the never ending search for scientific answers to compensation questions in a reparatory and remedial program obscures the fact that it is indeed a reparatory and remedial program. And now, timely compensation looms heavily over NIOSH’s decision process regarding the compensation of 9/11 cancer victims. However, I fear that 9/11 first responders and survivors will face a similar derailment if NIOSH fails to utilize the lessons learned from its ten year EEOICPA review and apply those lessons to the Zadroga Act. Specifically, I am troubled by the putative need for scientific certainty becoming the overwhelming driving force that controls and thereby limits which 9/11 heroes will be compensated. Waiting to find that supposed scientific certainty will inevitably devastate a nation that feels compelled to compensate and care for these sickened heroes now, not in 20 years. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">So how will NIOSH decide whether 9/11 heroes afflicted with cancer will be compensated under the Zadroga Act?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of the more significant similarities between the administration of the EEOICPA and the Zadroga Act is the creation of an advisory board tasked to investigate scientific issues affecting the disposition of compensation claims. The WTC Health Program Scientific/Technical Advisory Committee (</span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/NIOSH/topics/wtc/stac/bylaws.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">STAC</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">) will “…review scientific and medical evidence and…make recommendations to the Administrator of the WTC Health Program on additional WTC Program eligibility criteria, research needs, and on additional WTC-related health conditions.” Similarly, the EEOICPA’s Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health (Board) also works with NIOSH to decide compensation issues. The EEOICPA Board is comprised of scientific experts and individuals with the specific knowledge necessary to understand the working conditions DOE and AWE employees were exposed to at former Manhattan Project facilities. The </span><a href="http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/09/20110908c.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">STAC committee</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> is also comprised of scientific experts as well as representatives of the affected 9/11 first responders and survivors. However, it is imperative that the input from those committee members representing the sickened community fully inform the STAC decision making agenda with direct and specific input from 911 advocates and from the sickened 9/11 heroes themselves. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Decisions about what health conditions will be covered under the Zadroga Act should not be a decision based solely on the current available science; to do so would be to ask our 9/11 heroes to further endure and wait perhaps another 20 years for a final ruling on the cancer compensation question. Reparatory and remedial compensation programs that are designed to provide for and honor individuals who have selflessly served this nation should be administered in a manner that always remembers that justice for those sickened as a result of the selfless call to duty cannot realize justice absent timely compensation. Consequently, 9/11 first responders, survivors, and their advocates must be included in every aspect of the STAC committee’s agenda in order to fulfill the true goals of the Zadroga Act. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Moreover, NIOSH should take the specific recommendations set forth by EEOICPA Board Chairman and the New York State Laborers' Health and Safety Trust Fund Director </span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docket/archive/pdfs/NIOSH-161-A/0161-A-021511-Melius_sub.pdf"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">James Melius</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">, M.D., Dr. P.H. as the most judicious template for how the STAC should be administered. As Dr. Melius explained in his comments to NIOSH, “[d]elaying these determinations about WTC-relatedness of cancer until long term follow-up of these cohorts has been completed will not help these individuals and is not compatible with the intent of this legislation to provide high quality medical diagnosis and treatment for WTC-related conditions.” Significantly, Dr. Melius emphasized that the EEOICPA “…Board hears public comments from many of these people about the financial hardships suffered because of their illnesses. Compensating them many years later only partially alleviates these hardships.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of the more significant lessons that NIOSH has learned after ten years of administering the EEOICPA is that reparatory compensation programs that have compensation decisions made within a scientific bubble, without input from other stakeholders and without the constant reminder of why the program exists in the first place sets up the inevitable disconnect between sickened workers and the decision-makers – engendering inescapable mistrust and needless suffering from those workers who continue to wait for some semblance of justice and assurance from an indebted nation that they have not been forgotten. NIOSH recently completed its </span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docket/review/docket194/default.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">ten year review of the EEOICPA</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> to facilitate reforms that would better fulfill the original intent of the legislation and the workers it was designed to serve. Among the most significant takeaways from that </span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docket/review/docket194F/pdfs/DRAFTFINALRecommendationsDocument51711.pdf"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">ten year review</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> is summed up in the following statement regarding the need to prevent scientific decision making from overwhelming a remedial compensation program. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">NIOSH should consider relying on a multi-disciplinary approach...By relying on a broader range of experts to evaluate the data on radiation exposures at a site, NIOSH can take steps to minimize any unconscious bias in the…evaluation process. A multidisciplinary approach would also ensure that NIOSH applies consistent science policies across its programs. NIOSH should recognize that scientific expertise can be used to mask professional bias and take steps to minimize that effect. All professionals have some form of unconscious biases. Because [the Division of Compensation Analysis and Support] is staffed overwhelmingly with health physicists, the biases of that profession dominate NIOSH’s evaluations.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Accordingly, </span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas/pdfs/abrwh/pres/niosh10yr1211fc.pdf"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">NIOSH now recommends</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> that it should “[u]tilize staff ‘other than health physicists’ when appropriate to guard against ‘professional orientation’ toward accepting adequacy of techniques.” Taking heed of the lessons learned ten years after the enactment of the EEOICPA is hopefully one way by which NIOSH will not only reform the EEOICPA but also avoid the EEOICPA’s mistakes in serving the critically time sensitive goals of the Zadroga Act. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Just as those sickened cold war era nuclear weapons workers continue to battle the EEOICPA’s bureaucracy ten years after the inception of the program, the decision makers tasked with the ultimate power to decide the Zadroga Act cancer question must remember that time will become the real enemy. Delay will only serve to frustrate the well meaning intentions of everyone that has worked tirelessly to enact the Zadroga Act as well as create a shameful legacy leaving our sickened 9/11 heroes and their families to fend for themselves. The legacy of our nation’s commitment and responsibility to care for these heroes must not be undermined by a bureaucracy isolated by a search for supposed scientific certainty that removes those that continue to suffer from the overall equation. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">NIOSH Director John Howard received a </span><a href="http://www.votesmart.org/public-statement/637142/letter-to-john-howard-director-national-institute-for-occupational-safety-and-health"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">petition</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> from the NY Congressional delegation this past September requesting “…an immediate review of new medical evidence showing increased cancer rates among firefighters who served at ground zero and that [he] consider adding coverage for cancer under the Zadroga Act.” The NY Congressional delegation explained:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">[w]e feel strongly that there must be a scientific basis for adding coverage for new conditions under the Zadroga Act. However, given the severity of the illnesses reported in The Lancet, we also want to make sure that this and other peer-reviewed studies linking cancers to the attacks are evaluated as expeditiously as possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The </span><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/wtc/stac/pdfs/STAC-Howard.PDF"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">STAC committee</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> must submit their recommendation regarding this petition to NIOSH Director Howard by March 2, 2012; however, that deadline could be extended to April 2, 2012. As this deadline looms, NIOSH and the NY Congressional delegation must work to ensure that input from 9/11 first responders, survivors, and their advocates is fully incorporated within the STAC decision making agenda without delay. The current makeup of the STAC committee includes representatives from the affected 9/11 community battling illnesses each and every day, but more needs to be done. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">If the ultimate decision regarding cancer compensation becomes so insulated and disconnected from the very purpose of the Zadroga Act, then the program itself will serve as a constant reminder of the nation’s failure to fully honor the extraordinary courage of our 9/11 heroes; then we will have truly enabled time to become the ultimate enemy of the good. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-76416964351837939842011-11-07T05:24:00.000-08:002011-11-07T05:24:32.889-08:00Reproductive Rights and the Deafening Silence from the “Mainstream Media"<h1 style="background-color: white; color: #252324; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b style="color: black; font-size: medium; line-height: 30px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Echo Zen, the Co-President of Voices for Planned Parenthood, posted an enlightening article today on the fantastic global feminist blog <i>Gender Across Borders</i> – here’s the link</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal; line-height: 30px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal; line-height: 30px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 150%;"><a href="http://www.genderacrossborders.com/2011/11/02/if-we%E2%80%99re-the-majority-where%E2%80%99s-the-media-visibility/" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If we’re the majority, where’s the (media) visibility?</span></a></div></h1><br />
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</span></u></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">And here’s my response</span></u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The last example I can recall of someone on TV supporting abortion rights in an unapologetic, unabashed, and hilarious manner is Elaine Benes from a 1992 Seinfeld episode. She explains how she refuses to patronize any business that supports domestic terrorist groups like Operation Rescue (a clear reference to Domino's pizza at the time); and then hilarity ensues in a restaurant and when she is forced to break up with a cute guy. I honestly do not recall any other instances on TV quite like that one in 1992 and that does indeed make me sad. In terms of consistent media coverage - Rachel Maddow does a great and consistent job of covering the topic but again she is one of too few women represented in the media that reach any sizable audience. Reproductive rights organizers should seize the opportunity presented by the blatant attacks on contraception as the seminal moment to advance a much needed media agenda within the "mainstream media" so that we can kick open those doors for a genuine and truthful discussion, shining a light on the full on assault against reproductive rights for all women. Perhaps so-called pro-choice politicians will then be forced to take a real and honest stand and demonstrate some semblance of a backbone. We should be taking an instructive cue from LGBT organizers in that regard as well. Thanks so much for the enlightening article and this call for action!<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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</b></span></div>Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-48451134587510002552011-06-28T17:32:00.001-07:002011-06-28T17:32:20.071-07:00Will the Media Give Leon Panetta the Same Pass Provided to Robert Gates on the Military’s Rape Epidemic?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #121212; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"></span><br />
<h2 class="title" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-size: 23.4px; line-height: 23.4px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/06/27-5?nocache=1">Will the Media Give Leon Panetta the Same Pass Provided to Robert Gates on the Military’s Rape Epidemic?</a></h2>Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-10508861798220928502011-06-24T15:42:00.000-07:002011-06-24T17:19:48.341-07:00Abortion Battle Casualties: Bargaining Away Health Care for America’s Most Vulnerable Women<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The </span><a href="http://www.indystar.com/article/20110621/LIVING01/106210327/Planned-Parenthood-stops-treating-Medicaid-clients-as-stopgap-funds-run-out?odyssey=tab|mostpopular|"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Indianapolis Star</span></i></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> reported on Monday that </span><a href="http://www.ppin.org/news/news_DifficultDecisions.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Planned Parenthood of Indiana</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> (PPIN) is being forced to cut off all services to Medicaid patients, lay off staff, and furlough workers as they shut down all clinics in the state one day a week to save money. Public donations that had sustained PPIN since May 10<sup>th</sup>, when the defunding law went into effect, have now run out. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Indianapolis Star</i> article noted the all too familiar response from anti-abortion activists, “…Planned Parenthood has ‘made it clear what their priority is…They wouldn't stop providing abortions even in the interim to keep the women's health services…” We have heard this refrain time and again from anti-choice politicians and anti-abortion activists – if Planned Parenthood really cared about poor women’s health care services they would <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">just</i> stop performing abortions – then all of their problems would magically disappear. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Of course, for Planned Parenthood this is not an option; to stop performing abortions would not only cede the argument that abortion is not health care and endanger women’s health and lives, but it would also not stop the war on women or the war on reproductive rights. One only needs to see the writing on the wall with the increasing “personhood” movement that is moving through </span><a href="http://e-lobbyist.com/gaits/AL/SB301"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Alabama</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><a href="http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2011/BillPdf/HB0490.pdf"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Montana</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><a href="http://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/62-2011/documents/11-0665-01000.pdf"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">North Dakota</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><a href="http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=hb1571"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Oklahoma</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">, and </span><a href="http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?111+ful+HB1440"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Virginia</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">. This legislation, which would provide personhood rights to fertilized eggs, would not only outlaw abortions but also potentially ban contraception by defining life “…from the moment of fertilization and implantation into the womb.” Anti-choice politicians and anti-abortion activists are not only seeking to outlaw abortion but they also want to outlaw contraception. And shutting down Planned Parenthood eliminates one of the most critical ways low-income women access contraceptive services. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.npr.org/2011/06/01/136850622/abortion-foes-push-to-redefine-personhood"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">NPR</span></i></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> recently explained that while “[l]ast year's GOP takeover of the U.S. House and statehouses across the country has dramatically changed the shape of the nation's abortion debate. It has also given a boost to an even more far-reaching effort: the push to legally redefine when life itself begins.” This personhood redefinition movement “…could threaten the use of a long list of commonly used contraceptives…” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Last week at Netroots Nation conference, </span><a href="http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2011/06/19/panel-contraception"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">RH Reality Check</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">’s Amanda Marcotte</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> detailed her participation on a panel discussing the war on contraception. The panel discussed “…the escalating attacks on contraception access from the religious right.” Marcotte noted that while the war on contraception “…can also be viewed as an opportunity…[to] highlight the distance between anti-choice claims to be ‘pro-life’ and their actual demands, which are focused on sex and gender,” she remains concerned that “…the response to the anti-choice movement’s bolder attacks on contraception will not be to use this to highlight the anti-sex, anti-woman ideology underlying the opposition to abortion but instead, pro-choicers will simply de-prioritize defending abortion rights in order to protect contraception.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Trying to compromise with anti-choice forces that believe </span><a href="http://blog.ansirh.org/2011/06/contraception-and-abortion-rates/"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">contraceptive access</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> actually increases the incidence of abortion; that believe using </span><a href="http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2011/06/06/pill-kills-protesters-unwittingly-help-hundreds-north-texans-contraception"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">birth control</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> puts women’s health at risk; and that believe Planned Parenthood is a front for </span><a href="http://inthearena.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/16/spitzer-scolds-planned-parenthood-critic/"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">prostitution</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">, the </span><a href="http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/5763075-418/michelle-bachmann-brands-planned-parenthood-a-criminal-enterprise.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">sex trafficking of young girls</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">, and exploits the Hyde Amendment’s rape and incest exceptions to </span><a href="http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/04/redefine-rape-hr-3-abortion-stealth?page=2"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">provide abortions to teenage girls</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> regardless of their age, seems increasingly futile. These anti-choice extremists will never be convinced that “[i]n </span><a href="http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">2006</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">, publicly funded family planning services helped women avoid 1.94 million unintended pregnancies, which would likely have resulted in about 860,000 unintended births and 810,000 abortions.” </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2296187/pagenum/all/#p2"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Slate</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">’s Dahlia Lithwick</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> recently noted a </span><a href="http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/tgr/05/1/gr050104.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">2002 Guttmacher Institute report</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> indicating that “…efforts to deny family planning funding to any agency that also provides abortions go way back: The ‘campaign—to ban both direct and 'indirect' government support for abortion—was conceived almost before the ink was fully dry on the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision’.” The Planned Parenthood fight is not going away with the abortion messaging war in high gear for the </span><a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0611/56556.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">2012 elections</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">; and with GOP presidential candidates all trying to outdo each other in proving their </span><a href="http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/06/dirt-bike-snap-santorum-ad-mocks-huntsman-over-anti-abortion-pledge.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tpmelectioncentral+%28TPM+Election+Central%29"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">anti-abortion bona fides</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> for extreme anti-abortion activists. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Back in December 2007 then candidate Obama responded to a </span><a href="http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2007/12/21/sen-barack-obamas-reproductive-health-questionnaire"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">RH Reality Check</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> questionnaire</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights. Then Senator Obama’s staff responded to this question: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Does Sen. Obama support the Hyde amendment? Under what circumstances does he believe that Medicaid should cover abortions (all pregnancies, life- or health-threatening pregnancies, pregnancies that are a result of rape or incest, extreme fetal malformation)?</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Obama does not support the Hyde amendment. He believes that the federal government should not use its dollars to intrude on a poor woman's decision whether to carry to term or to terminate her pregnancy and selectively withhold benefits because she seeks to exercise her right of reproductive choice in a manner the government disfavors.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">But now, when Obama administration officials call the Hyde Amendment “</span><a href="http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2011/06/17/there-women-obama-white-house-communications-director-refuses-answer"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">settled law</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">” and </span><a href="http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2011/06/15/can-prochoice-unless-support-equal-access"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> says, “[f]ederal funds have never supported abortion, do not support abortion, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">will not support abortion</i>,” hasn’t the administration already compromised too far and lost the messaging war altogether? And are they simply bargaining away the reproductive rights of women who do not have the political power to fight back? Arguably, some of the most politically powerless women in the U.S. are the low-income and vulnerable women in the District of Columbia; their abortion rights are once again being marginalized. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Back in April, I detailed the deal struck by the President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid during the April budget showdown that bargained away D.C.’s abortion rights in order to avert a government shutdown. In that </span><a href="http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2011/04/11/budget-showdown-casualties-white-house-house-women-bargaining-chips"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">RH Reality Check</span></i></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> article, I asked:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">When the budget negotiations ramp up for FY 2012, what other reproductive rights will be sacrificed for the sake of compromise? How far will the President be willing to stretch the definition of preventing the budget debate from being overtaken by ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">unrelated disagreements on social issues</i>?’ </span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">And now, predictably, D.C. abortion rights are once again on the FY 2012 negotiating table. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">According to the </span><a href="http://www.guttmacher.org/statecenter/spibs/spib_SFAM.pdf"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Guttmacher Institute</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">, currently 17 states use their own state Medicaid funds to “…provide all or most medically necessary abortions” for low-income women. And until the April budget compromise, D.C. was also permitted to use their own local funds to provide abortion services for Medicaid patients. But last week, the </span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-wire/post/house-spending-bill-for-dc-includes-funding-cuts-abortion-ban/2011/06/15/AG9xSxVH_blog.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">House Appropriations Committee</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> revealed a first draft of its 2012 spending bill for the District of Columbia which includes a “…ban on the District using its own funds to pay for abortions for low-income women. That prohibition, which Republicans imposed during their last tenure in the House majority, was also included in the short-term spending deal agreed to in April by President Obama and the GOP.” Since those April negotiations, when </span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/house-dc-spending-bill-includes-funding-cuts-abortion-ban/2011/06/15/AGsgWVWH_story.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">President Obama</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> “…reportedly said to House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), ‘John, I will give you D.C. abortion’ – local officials and activists have scrambled to prevent history from repeating itself.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The </span><a href="http://dcabortionfund.org/2011/06/house-fy12-spending-bill-includes-dc-abortion-ban/"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">DC Abortion Fund</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> said, “…anti-choice members have included the D.C. abortion ban in their funding bill once again. Not only is this policy dangerous for women but it also usurps the District’s own local governance, undermines the city’s self-rule, and makes a mockery of the democratic process in the nation’s capital.” </span><a href="http://www.nationalpartnership.org/site/News2?abbr=daily2_&page=NewsArticle&id=29180&security=1201&news_iv_ctrl=-1"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> (D-D.C.) said, "[w]e are deeply disappointed that the bill retains the 2011 abortion rider, and we will insist that the Senate and the administration oppose it…the bill…is scheduled to reach the floor in early July.”</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The <a href="http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?ind=157&cat=3&rgn=10">Kaiser Family Foundation</a> estimates 60,500 nonelderly Medicaid enrolled women may be affected by the reinstated ban; this is indeed "...<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/11/opinion/11mon1.html?_r=1&hp">a cruel blow to the poor and largely African-American women</a> who need those services." </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">And the </span><a href="http://www.nwlc.org/resource/dc-abortion-ban-threatens-womens-health"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">National Women’s Law Center</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> explains:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">[p]oor women denied abortion coverage may have to postpone paying for other basic needs like food, rent, heating, and utilities in order to save the money needed for an abortion…Restrictions on public funding for abortion disproportionately affect minority women as they are more likely to rely on public funding for medical care. In D.C., 26.1% of minority women are living in poverty compared to just 8.6% of white, non-Hispanic women…The time needed to save money often results in poor women experiencing delays in obtaining an abortion. The greater the delay in obtaining an abortion, the more expensive, and less safe the procedure becomes.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Abortion is health care – and as pro-choice politicians continue to cede ground, delegitimize, and stigmatize abortion, women’s health and lives are increasingly put at risk. And anti-choice politicians that have been emboldened by their successes at constraining abortion rights across the country are now ready to ramp up the war on contraception. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">How can women’s health care advocates negotiate with a Republican leadership that responds directly to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops regarding whether contraceptive services should be provided to women at no cost under the </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/03/health/policy/03health.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Affordable Care Act</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> (ACA), which requires insurers to provide all preventive health services at no cost to the insured person? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Scientific evidence has clearly established that access to contraception and family planning services not only improves a woman’s overall health but increases her life span. Consequently, contraception should be covered under ACA. Nonetheless, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, along with other conservative organizations, objects to science based reasoning telling the </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/03/health/policy/03health.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">New York Times</span></i></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> “[p]regnancy is not a disease to be prevented, nor is fertility a pathological condition…So birth control is not preventive care, and it should not be mandated.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Trying to reason and compromise with this extreme conservative and political narrative that ignores facts is an exercise in futility. Anti-choice politicians that continue to demonize Planned Parenthood cannot be convinced that </span><a href="http://www.guttmacher.org/media/nr/2011/06/06/index.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">family planning services</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> constitute:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">…a gateway into the U.S. health care system for women who would otherwise only have a tenuous connection to medical care, or none at all; a source of urgently needed contraceptive services and other sexual health care for young women in foster care, who are at high risk of unintended pregnancy; and a highly successful public health program that boosts maternal and newborn health, saves billions in taxpayer dollars, and averts significant numbers of unintended pregnancies, unplanned births and abortions.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">It is an incontrovertible fact that access to contraception reduces the rate of abortion. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><a href="http://www.guttmacher.org/media/inthenews/2011/03/09/index.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Guttmacher Institute</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> research shows that the two-thirds of U.S. women at risk of unintended pregnancy who use contraception consistently and correctly throughout the course of any given year account for only 5% of all unintended pregnancies. The 19% of women at risk who use contraception but do so inconsistently account for 44% of all unintended pregnancies, while the 16% of women at risk who do not use contraception at all for a month or more during the year account for 52% of all unintended pregnancies.<o:p></o:p></span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">It is also a fact that women, regardless of their religious backgrounds, believe in </span><a href="http://www.guttmacher.org/media/nr/2011/04/13/index.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">contraceptive rights</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and have come to recognize that “…contraceptive use and the prevention of unintended pregnancy improves the health and social and economic well-being of women and their families…” Moreover, the data presented in the Guttmacher Institute’s report, </span><a href="http://www.guttmacher.org/media/nr/2011/04/13/index.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Countering Conventional Wisdom: New Evidence on Religion and Contraceptive Use</span></i></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">, “…shows that opposition to contraception by the Catholic hierarchy and other socially conservative organizations is not reflected in the actual behaviors and health care needs of Catholic and Evangelical women.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Planned Parenthood has been defunded in Indiana, </span><a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/abortion/161135-kansas-defunds-planned-parenthood"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kansas</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><a href="http://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/newsroom/local-press-releases/wake-title-x-cuts-planned-parenthood-close-six-clinics-37095.htm"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Minnesota</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">, and </span><a href="http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-systems/planned-parenthood-statement-nc-budget-override-vote-37077.htm"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">North Carolina</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/21/wisconsin-fourth-state-to-defund-planned-parenthood_n_881504.html?ref=fb&src=sp"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> (R) is expected to sign a bill defunding nine of the state’s Planned Parenthood clinics any day now and Louisiana’s Planned Parenthood clinics may soon be defunded as well. In fact, the </span><a href="http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2011/06/put_womens_health_first_an_edi.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Times-Picayune</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> editorial board</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> explains that the argument that funding Planned Parenthood in Louisiana indirectly funds abortion services is “…nonsensical…In Louisiana, Planned Parenthood doesn't perform any abortions at all…In fact, making it harder for women to get contraceptive services is likely to result in more women terminating unplanned pregnancies.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clearly, regardless of whether the particular Planned Parenthood centers under attack actually perform abortions, anti-choice politicians will continue to see Planned Parenthood as nothing more than a government funded abortion mill. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">PPIN is currently waging a legal battle to restore its Medicaid funding because the Indiana defunding law directly violates federal Medicaid law. PPIN is being supported by the Justice Department in their lawsuit. The </span><a href="http://www.nationalpartnership.org/site/News2?abbr=daily2_&page=NewsArticle&id=29206"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Justice Department</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> filed a </span><a href="http://www.mainjustice.com/files/2011/06/Planned-Parenthood-DOJ-Filing.pdf"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">brief</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> with the federal district court on June 16<sup>th</sup> in support of the PPIN lawsuit challenging the law. The Justice Department brief states, “[b]ecause the Indiana law violates the Medicaid statute’s freedom of choice provision and because the public interest strongly supports preserving the freedom of choice that Congress conferred, this Court should enjoin further implementation of the Indiana law with respect to the provision of Medicaid services.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">But sadly, while PPIN is now forced to cut off their Medicaid patients there is of course no guarantee that the federal court ruling expected on July 1<sup>st</sup> will restore that funding; PPIN may be forced into a protracted legal battle that will leave all of their Medicaid patients out in the cold with eight of the Indiana’s 28 centers on the ultimate chopping block. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">On June 9th, </span><a href="http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20110609/NEWS02/306090067/Senate-Republicans-ask-federal-government-reconsider-Indiana-Medicaid-ruling"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">28 Senate Republicans</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> sent a </span><a href="http://thehill.com/images/stories/blogs/healthwatch/hatchabortion.pdf"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">letter</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services saying that “Indiana's new law cutting Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood does not violate Medicaid rules…” The Senators also wrote, “Indiana's proposal should not only be approved, we believe it serves as an important model for every state…Unfortunately, your decision is simply the latest example of this administration's alarming pattern of usurping states' authority to manage their Medicaid programs in ways that best meet the needs of their citizens.” The GOP leadership clearly has no intention of backing down from the Planned Parenthood battle. Planned Parenthood has become the bogeyman in the abortion wars and the easy scapegoat that the extreme political right can use to fire up their political base for the 2012 election cycle. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Notably, the defunding of Planned Parenthood in Kansas, North Carolina, and soon Wisconsin </span><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/16/us-abortion-northcarolina-idUSTRE75F6U620110616"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">cannot be challenged as violations of federal Medicaid law</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">. And the Planned Parenthood closings in </span><a href="http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2011/06/21/titlecuts-causeminnesota-planned-parenthoods-shut-down"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Minnesota</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> are a direct result of Title X budget cuts. These other states may have very limited legal options available to them to restore that funding beyond hoping for changes in the state legislature during the next election cycle. However, Planned Parenthood leaders in </span><a href="http://www.nationalpartnership.org/site/News2?abbr=daily4_&page=NewsArticle&id=29252&security=1521&news_iv_ctrl=-1"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">North Carolina</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and in </span><a href="http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/06/22/6908182-the-states-versus-planned-parenthood-its-not-just-indiana-anymore?email=html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kansas</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> are both considering litigation. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">When we continue to provide politicians with the ammunition to isolate abortion rights from other reproductive health care rights, we also provide anti-women extremists with the weapon they need to further delegitimize abortion as health care. And then pro-choice politicians only end up empowering and goading the anti-abortion argument providing further opportunities to chip away at abortion access for those women who can least afford the burden. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some pro-choice activists and pro-choice politicians underestimate and misread the extreme nature of the newly emboldened anti-choice, anti-women movement if they believe that bargaining away abortion rights for the poorest and most vulnerable women can salvage the critical health care services provided by Planned Parenthood. Segregating Planned Parenthood and contraceptive rights from abortion rights will not preserve health care for poor women, it will only embolden this extreme movement to further constrain reproductive rights – only setting up contraception as the next political target. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div>Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-49481015302313890442011-06-17T14:01:00.000-07:002011-06-17T14:01:03.231-07:00TRAP Laws and the War on Women: Condoning Women’s Bodies as Collateral Damage<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">An increasing number of states are finding a newly emboldened and insidious way to further constrain abortion access specifically directed at abortion providers and clinics throughout the country – via regulatory fiat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The “targeted regulation of abortion providers” or TRAP laws are being enacted to impose renewed burdensome and costly regulatory requirements on abortion providers across the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The </span><a href="http://reproductiverights.org/en/project/targeted-regulation-of-abortion-providers-trap"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Center for Reproductive Rights</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> explains that TRAP laws “…single out the medical practices of doctors who provide abortions, and impose on them requirements that are different and more burdensome than those imposed on other medical practices.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>TRAP laws generally cover “…health facility licensing schemes, ambulatory surgical center requirements, and hospitalization requirements.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">According to the </span><a href="http://www.guttmacher.org/statecenter/updates/index.html#TRAP"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Guttmacher Institute</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> twenty states have introduced TRAP laws this year alone, with Arkansas, Utah, Virginia, and Kansas actually enacting such laws this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And now Pennsylvania is on the verge of becoming the next state to enact TRAP laws that will increase abortion costs for poor women and force financially constrained clinics to close their doors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>South Carolina enacted some of the most seminal TRAP laws regulating clinics back in 1996.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>TRAP laws and the subsequent regulations focused on abortion providers are designed specifically to shut down clinics and make abortions increasingly unaffordable under the guise of safeguarding women’s health and safety from unscrupulous providers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Last week, the </span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/anti-abortion-advocates-urge-state-board-of-health-to-model-va-abortion-regulations-after-scs/2011/06/09/AGbmeTNH_story.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Washington Post</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> reported that anti-abortion activists are now lobbying Virginia’s State Board of Health to model their regulations after South Carolina’s abortion clinic regulations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>South Carolina’s regulations were enacted in 1996 and faced a federal court challenge from “[t]wo abortion clinics and an abortion provider…claiming they placed an undue burden on women’s decisions to seek abortions and were unfair because they singled out abortion providers over other medical professionals.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ultimately, the 4<sup>th</sup> Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals found the regulations to be constitutional.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Court ruled that the regulations served a “…valid state interest…[did]…not strike at the abortion right itself and required only modest increases in the cost of abortions.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><a name='more'></a> <o:p></o:p><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In February, </span><a href="http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/virginia-news/2011/feb/25/tdmain01-after-senate-vote-virginias-abortion-clin-ar-866350/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Virginia</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> enacted legislation requiring the state’s twenty-one abortion clinics to be regulated in the same manner as hospitals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Democratic legislators and pro-choice advocates “…said it effectively would restrict a woman's access to abortion services by forcing the state's twenty-one clinics to meet standards set by the Board of Health regulating hospitals — standards currently not required of other physician's practices performing similarly invasive medical procedures.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, these regulations may eventually force </span><a href="http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/05/11-15"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">seventeen of the twenty-one clinics to close</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43057201/ns/us_news-life/t/kansas-tightens-abortion-clinic-regulations/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Kansas Governor Sam Brownback</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> (R) also recently signed a law requiring “…annual, unannounced inspections of abortion clinics…[and]…new health and safety rules specifically for them…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pro-choice advocates now also fear that Kansas’s three abortion clinics may be forced to close as result of these new rules.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, one Kansas abortion provider said “…it will be forced to spend $10,000 immediately on a new exit mandated by the law.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The law also “…directs the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to write standards for exits, lighting, bathrooms, and equipment.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clinics violating these new rules could be fined or shut down altogether.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peter Brownlie, president and chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, said, “[t]he only effect is to make the services more expensive and more difficult to obtain, or more difficult to provide…”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/anti-abortion-advocates-urge-state-board-of-health-to-model-va-abortion-regulations-after-scs/2011/06/09/AGbmeTNH_story.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">South Carolina</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">’s regulations similarly subject abortion providers to periodic inspections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the transparent desire to frustrate abortion providers out of business became clear when South Carolina regulations arbitrarily established regulations for “…the laundering of linens and the outside appearance, including cutting of the grass.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ultimately, only three clinics survived the regulatory assault out of the fourteen abortion clinics in South Carolina at the time the regulations were imposed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The overwhelming reason why these regulatory constraints are shutting down clinics in these states is because the regulations mandate structural changes to the buildings that most clinics simply cannot afford to implement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia executive director Tarina Keene explained, “[i]t wasn’t that the services that they offered were lacking in any way…It was because they could not afford to retrofit their doctors’ offices to meet those extremely high, extremely expensive structural requirements.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She warned, “[t]hey’re basically trying to overturn Roe by regulating it out of existence…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Meanwhile, in </span><a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/121618118.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Pennsylvania</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, under the guise of trying to prevent the tragic circumstances surrounding the abominable conditions at an abortion clinic “…operated by D. Kermit Gosnell, where a grand jury reported filthy and unsafe conditions,” Democrats in the state house failed to stop a bill that “…would place new and onerous requirements on abortion clinics.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last month, the </span><a href="http://www.abc27.com/story/14631784/pa-house-votes-for-regulatory-changes-for-abortion-clinics"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Pennsylvania House of Representatives</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> approved legislation requiring abortion clinics “…to maintain the same standards as other freestanding ambulatory surgical centers.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Then on Tuesday, the </span><a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pennsylvania/123895339.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Pennsylvania state Senate</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> passed a bill imposing strict standards on abortion clinics “…that would increase inspection, space, staffing, and other requirements for the 20 clinics operating throughout the state.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ACLU of Pennsylvania warned that “…the bill would ‘cut off access to health care’ by driving clinics out of business’…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Recently, the </span><a href="http://www.pennlive.com/editorials/index.ssf/2011/05/unfair_standards_gosnell_clini.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Patriot-News </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">editorial board</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> criticized this legislation saying that lawmakers are “…using the pretense of the Gosnell case to push an anti-abortion agenda.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The result would be that the legal right of a woman to get an abortion in Pennsylvania will likely be severely hindered, especially for the poor.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The editorial board explained that, among other consequences, the legislation “…could increase the cost of an abortion by as much as $1,000.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Additionally, the same standards that “…now apply to ambulatory surgical center would be the new standard for abortion clinics…This will make abortion clinics spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to make structural changes to their facilities and alter their staffing.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The atrocities discovered at Dr. Kermit Gosnell’s Philadelphia abortion clinic are being used by anti-choice lawmakers around the country as the pretext for imposing severe new restrictions on abortion clinics intended to shutter these clinics permanently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Gosnell clinic tragedy should not be politicized and exploited to justify an anti-abortion agenda that will only further endanger the lives of the very women that anti-choice politicians claim they only wish to protect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Pennsylvania State House Representative Dan Frankel (D) wrote an op-ed in the </span><a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11143/1148474-109-2.stm"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Pittsburgh Post-Gazette</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> similarly criticizing the legislation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He explained that the “…the real problem with the bill…[is]…Instead of helping us pursue criminals, it would drive women into criminal clinics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poor women chose to see Mr. Gosnell because he was cheap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we force the best providers to raise their prices, we will create demand for more Gosnells.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The horrors that occurred at the Gosnell clinic were detailed by the </span><a href="http://www.phila.gov/districtattorney/grandjury_womensmedical.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Philadelphia District Attorney’s grand jury report</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> released on January 19<sup>th</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The </span><a href="http://www.abc27.com/story/14631784/pa-house-votes-for-regulatory-changes-for-abortion-clinics"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">grand jury report</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> indicated “…that at least two women died as a result of botched late-term abortions, that babies were born alive and then killed by having their spinal cords snipped by scissors, and that untrained personnel had performed medical procedures, sometimes with unsterilized tools that spread venereal disease from patient to patient.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Unsurprisingly, the women that ended up being victimized by Gosnell and his staff were poor women and women from immigrant communities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In January, </span><a href="http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2011/01/21/unlicensed-abortion-doctor-brings-back-specter-of-pre-roe/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Ms. Magazine blog</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> detailed the conditions within the clinic commenting that Gosnell “preyed” on women; and that Gosnell’s predatory ways “…thrive[d] ‘because the women in question were poor and of color, because the victims were infants without identities, and because the subject was the political football of abortion’.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ms. Magazine</i> predicted back in January that Gosnell would inevitably be used by anti-abortion forces to increase restrictions on abortion access by depicting “…Gosnell’s practice as the norm…[and] his clients as misguided women who wouldn’t have had abortions if they knew what it was. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will attempt to bully the Pennsylvania legislature to pass more restrictions on abortion providers.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Predictably, that has indeed happened in Pennsylvania and other states will surely follow in those same footsteps emboldened not only by the Gosnell case but also by the fact that South Carolina’s onerous regulations have withstood constitutional challenge and survived the “undue burden” standard first enunciated by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1992 in </span><a href="http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/91-744.ZS.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Planned Parenthood v. Casey</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The </span><a href="http://www.pennlive.com/editorials/index.ssf/2011/05/unfair_standards_gosnell_clini.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Patriot-News </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">editorial board</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> emphatically reminded lawmakers that regulatory constraints in Pennsylvania would “…almost certainly mean that women who can’t afford the increased cost of a legal abortion will seek the procedure in clinics that are not regulated and inspected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If legislators want proof, they need only look at the testimony of a woman who spoke during a recent state Senate committee hearing who said she went to Gosnell’s clinic because she couldn’t afford to have an abortion at a Planned Parenthood clinic.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Increasing the economic costs of abortion access imposes unreasonable and burdensome hurdles on low-income women; and sadly as state legislatures continue their assault on abortion rights by enacting ever increasing barriers to abortion access, the most vulnerable women throughout the nation end up paying the ultimate price.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indeed, when anti-choice political zealots “…</span><a href="http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2011/01/21/unlicensed-abortion-doctor-brings-back-specter-of-pre-roe/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">force poor women</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> who want to terminate unwanted pregnancies to wait until they can raise enough money to pay for a legal procedure, we force their abortions later in the pregnancy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we force them into the hands of disreputable clinics…This is what happens when we marginalize women’s health.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Whether we are measuring the discriminatory impact of the Hyde Amendment, or mandatory ultrasounds driving up abortion costs, or the ever increasing waiting periods that force women to risk not only their livelihoods but their health and safety by delaying abortion services, these restrictions on access inevitably and disproportionately affect the most vulnerable and politically powerless women throughout the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Notably, “</span><a href="http://lsrj.org/documents/factsheets/08-09_State_Laws.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">[m]andatory delays</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> of hours or days increase medical risks by inhibiting earlier, safer abortions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Delays may force women to make several trips to a clinic, creating a time burden as well as a potential financial burden.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most significantly, these </span><a href="http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/MandatoryCounseling.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">barriers</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> “…serve no medical purpose and are a ruse to decrease the accessibility of abortion.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And now we can add paternalistic and arbitrary TRAP laws, masquerading as reasonable safety regulations, to the growing list of ways in which anti-choice politicians deny women their fundamental constitutional rights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Moreover, the fact that poor women specifically bear this undue burden reminds us that with each passing piece of legislation abortion becomes progressively isolated from the basic definition of reproductive health care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And despite anti-choice rhetoric to the contrary, these restrictions do not deter women from seeking out abortion services; they only serve to further endanger the health and safety of the women who can least afford to be confronted with fewer and fewer alternatives for exercising their fundamental reproductive rights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In the final analysis, when anti-choice politicians invariably defend creating an environment that makes abortion less accessible and less safe, the ultimate goal of banning all abortions unmasks their unapologetic belief that in the ongoing war on women, women’s bodies are nothing more than collateral damage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div>Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-16129493715715794562011-06-10T14:48:00.000-07:002011-06-10T14:48:39.993-07:00Abortion, Rape, and the Shameful Legacy of the Hyde Amendment<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Abortion access is the only fundamental constitutional right that is constrained by how much money a woman has and how far away she lives from an abortion provider.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The result -- poor women bear the greatest burden of this legal discrimination; with the discriminatory effect felt most acutely by women of color and in immigrant communities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while the impact of the Hyde Amendment continues to grow, there seems to be next to no political will to do anything about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moreover, as a result of the political legitimization of the Hyde Amendment we are now seeing the continuing erosion of the fundamental need to provide abortion services for rape victims, regardless of their economic status.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Meanwhile, the continuing national fight over Planned Parenthood defunding efforts in the states like Indiana, Kansas, Texas, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Minnesota, Utah, and Wisconsin has forced the Obama administration to draw a line in the sand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iVoHBDXdqzUoMEx5qsazDYO9nM6A?docId=8f774f0aec1d4a178360bd6ca96abcc6"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">State efforts to defund and disqualify Planned Parenthood</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> from the Medicaid program are illegal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.politico.com/static/PPM169_110601_indiana_letter.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Federal Medicaid law</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> prohibits any states from limiting a Medicaid beneficiary’s family planning choices based solely on the fact that the provider in question also happens to provide abortion services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.cms.gov/CMCSBulletins/downloads/6-1-11-Info-Bulletin.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">This is settled law</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Similarly, efforts to limit federal funding for abortions under the Hyde Amendment for rape and incest victims also violate federal Medicaid law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, two states are now attempting to do just that, following in the footsteps of a third state that has been violating federal Medicaid law since 1994.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Iowa and Louisiana are attempting to limit federal funding for abortions under the Hyde Amendment solely for cases of life endangerment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>South Dakota has been limiting federal funding for abortions under the Hyde Amendment solely for cases of life endangerment ever since the </span><a href="https://litigation-essentials.lexisnexis.com/webcd/app?action=DocumentDisplay&crawlid=1&doctype=cite&docid=35+U.+of+Louisville+J.+of+Fam.+L.+121&srctype=smi&srcid=3B15&key=4f21ccc3e34830747e013fe6a0a8452d"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Clinton administration</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> expanded the Hyde Amendment to include pregnancy resulting from rape or incest in 1994.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>South Dakota has never faced any sanctions from the federal government for this blatant violation of federal Medicaid law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In </span><a href="http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2011/06/02/iowa-gop-resurrects-proposal-to-block-rapeincest-abortions/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Iowa</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, House Republicans are pushing legislation to eliminate the rape and incest exceptions explicitly permitted under the Hyde Amendment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last week, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Des Moines Register</i> reported:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Every state but South Dakota follows the federal requirements, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health advocacy organization in New York.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Iowa proposal mirrors South Dakota law: It allows Medicaid to pay for abortions only when a mother’s life is jeopardized and not in cases of rape or incest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Iowa human service officials were investigating earlier this year whether Iowa would risk losing billions of dollars in federal Medicaid grants if the proposed legislation were adopted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, federal officials have not taken such action against South Dakota.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since 2005 there have been three Medicaid-paid abortions for cases of rape in Iowa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were no requests for abortions resulting from rape or incest last calendar year, according to information from the Iowa Department of Human Services.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Responding to this proposed legislation, ACLU of Iowa legal director Randall Wilson, said, “[w]hat are we saying here?...We’re saying that if a rich woman is raped, she can get an abortion because she can afford one, but a poor woman will have to bear the child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s no social justice in that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">And last month the </span><a href="http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/05/rep_john_labruzzo_bill_to_outl.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Times-Picayune</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> reported, that a bill approved by the Louisiana House Health and Welfare Committee:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">…would make it a crime to provide an abortion or prescribe drugs with the intent of ending a pregnancy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There would be exceptions for medically necessary abortions, as certified by a physician, but not for cases of rape or incest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The measure also would bar the Louisiana Medicaid program from covering any abortion, also with no exception for cases of rape or incest, a move that state health officials said could threaten about $5 billion in federal Medicaid financing.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The </span><a href="http://www.guttmacher.org/statecenter/spibs/spib_SFAM.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Guttmacher Institute</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> explains that the Hyde Amendment, while only permitting the use of federal funds for abortion,<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">…in cases of life endangerment, rape or incest, has guided public funding for abortions under the joint federal-state Medicaid programs for low-income women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At a minimum, states must cover those abortions that meet the federal exceptions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although most states meet the requirements, one state is in violation of federal Medicaid law, because it pays for abortions only in cases of life endangerment.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In response to this latest attempt to exclude rape and incest victims from Medicaid coverage, the federal government recently warned </span><a href="http://www.necn.com/05/24/11/La-House-committee-approves-ban-on-abort/landing_politics.html?&blockID=3&apID=9a43053130924aadb6ed71a47b8f9e5c"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Louisiana</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> that their Medicaid funds could be cut off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The </span><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/08/us-abortion-louisiana-idUSTRE7570AF20110608"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">bill</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> “…defines human life as beginning at the moment of conception and makes it a crime to terminate a pregnancy except when the birth would endanger the mother's life…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.necn.com/05/24/11/La-House-committee-approves-ban-on-abort/landing_politics.html?&blockID=3&apID=9a43053130924aadb6ed71a47b8f9e5c"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Stephen Russo</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, the executive counsel for the Louisiana state Department of Health and Hospitals, said that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services contacted his office and told him that, “…Louisiana cannot continue to receive federal funds for Medicaid if it violates the Hyde Amendment.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Notably, in 1993, when Louisiana refused to comply with the expanded Hyde Amendment that included abortion coverage for rape and incest, the </span><a href="http://www.necn.com/05/24/11/La-House-committee-approves-ban-on-abort/landing_politics.html?&blockID=3&apID=9a43053130924aadb6ed71a47b8f9e5c"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> “…said that a state can't participate in Medicaid if it doesn't fund abortions outlined in the Hyde Amendment's exceptions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Fortunately, </span><a href="http://www.2theadvocate.com/blogs/politicsblog/123506604.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The Advocate</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> reported yesterday that the Louisiana legislation “…suffered a likely fatal blow Wednesday when it was sent to a Louisiana House committee amid concerns the measure could cost the state $4.5 billion in federal health care funds… the House voted 65-30 to instead send the measure to the House Appropriations Committee because of concerns the bill would run afoul of federal law.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The House Appropriations Committee Chairman explained that the proposed legislation needed to be re-examined because it “…does not include an exemption for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest…[and]…could jeopardize funding…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The original sponsor of the bill, state Representative John LaBruzzo (R), pleading with the Louisiana House said, “…re-turning it to a House committee for further study would kill the measure because the Legislature adjourns on June 23.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>LaBruzzo also challenged the argument “…that the state stood to suffer a major loss of federal funds if his bill became law…[saying]…It is not realistic.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Of course, these ongoing attempts in the states to limit all funding for abortion services, whether directly or allegedly indirectly is nothing new.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2296187/pagenum/all/#p2"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Slate</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">’s Dahlia Lithwick</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> points to a </span><a href="http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/tgr/05/1/gr050104.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">2002 Guttmacher Institute report</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> that “…indicates, efforts to deny family planning funding to any agency that also provides abortions go way back: The ‘campaign—to ban both direct and 'indirect' government support for abortion—was conceived almost before the ink was fully dry on the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.’ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The report also makes clear such efforts have failed time and again in both state and federal courts.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meanwhile, the fight over Planned Parenthood and abortion rights will most certainly be a mainstay during the </span><a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0611/56556.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">2012 elections</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, with everyone taking sides in the abortion messaging war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Does this movement in Louisiana and Iowa represent an extension of an emboldened anti-choice movement being spurred on by the ongoing campaign to stop the alleged indirect funding of abortions at Planned Parenthood?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or does this attack on the Hyde Amendment actually represent an alarming political shift regarding rape and incest victims revealing something far more insidious: the further trivialization of rape and rape victims by anti-choice politicians? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Limiting federal funding of abortions became a national focus within the House of Representatives this year with attempts by the GOP leadership to redefine or limit the meaning of the Hyde Amendment’s rape exception to mean only “forcible rape” leaving open cases of statutory rape or possibly date/acquaintance rape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In late January, when </span><a href="http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2011/05/23/if-a-woman-isnt-bruised-and-bleeding-will-her-rape-be-counted/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Representative Chris Smith</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> (R-NJ) “…introduced the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (H.R. 3), which sought to further restrict abortion funding for all women…in drafting an exception to allow abortion funding for survivors of rape, the bill defined ‘real’ rape exclusively as ‘forcible’ rape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For sexual assaults that didn’t fit that narrow definition, funding for an abortion would be denied.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when the GOP leadership was confronted with an onslaught of outrage, they </span><a href="http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/01/republican-plan-redefine-rape-abortion"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">decided to eliminate</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> the “forcible rape” language from H.R.3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">And even though the ensuing outrage that followed that first attempt to redefine rape under the Hyde Amendment failed, </span><a href="http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/04/redefine-rape-hr-3-abortion-stealth"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Mother Jones</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> reported that the GOP leadership was back at it again in May.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Republicans were insisting that Medicaid has never paid for abortions in the case of statutory rape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the “…Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)…say that's not true: existing law doesn't allow states to distinguish between different types of rape when it comes to funding abortions.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, a </span><a href="http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/05/gop-re-redefine-rape"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">CMS spokeswoman stated</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, "[a]s we said before, we have always considered rape to be rape and we have never made a distinction under the Hyde amendment on different types of rape under any administration that we can remember…I hope this is settled now: rape is rape."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moreover, <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><a href="http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/04/redefine-rape-hr-3-abortion-stealth"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Republicans offer no evidence</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">…that Hyde distinguishes between statutory and "forcible" rapes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And no such evidence seems to exist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Congressional Quarterly's summary of the legislative history of the current version of the Hyde Amendment contains no mention of statutory rape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The House GOP leadership was and still is being heavily influenced by the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops and the National Right to Life Committee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The </span><a href="http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/04/redefine-rape-hr-3-abortion-stealth?page=2"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">National Right to Life Committee</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> believes that the statutory rape exception is a “…’brazen effort’ by abortion rights groups to exploit the rape exception…” in the Hyde Amendment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They believe this statutory rape “excuse” is just a plan to "…federally fund the abortion of tens of thousands of healthy babies of healthy moms, based solely on the age of their mothers." And the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops argued that the House GOP leadership was simply trying "…to prevent the opening of a very broad loophole for federally funded abortions for any teenager."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Meanwhile, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ms. Magazine</i> and the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Feminist Majority Foundation</i> have been waging an </span><a href="http://www.feminist.org/nomoreexcuses/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">online campaign</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> asking the Department of Justice and the FBI to change the very definition of rape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Notably, “[s]ince 1929, the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report (UCR), which tallies all crimes reported to local law enforcement each year, has used this archaic definition of rape: ‘The carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will’.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This </span><a href="http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2011/05/23/if-a-woman-isnt-bruised-and-bleeding-will-her-rape-be-counted/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">archaic definition</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> leaves out many rape victims from the official FBI statistics, including:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br />
</span></div><blockquote><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">…victims of nonconsensual sodomy and oral sex, and those raped with fingers, fists, or objects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And all male victims, of course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, because the definition includes the word ‘forcibly, police departments often interpret the rule (against UCR guidelines) as leaving out rapes of women with physical or mental disabilities and those who were unconscious or under the influence of drugs and alcohol (despite the fact that at least 22 percent of all rapes involve those substances or incapacitated victims—and some studies put the number as high as 77 percent). The assumption, strangely, is that those women weren’t ‘forced.’</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">And recently </span><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/05/31/granderson.rape.abortion/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_politics"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">CNN op-ed</span></i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">contributor LZ Granderson argued that the abortion debate “trivializes rape” pointing to remarks made recently by “…Kansas State Rep. Pete DeGraaf…during a debate centered on banning insurance companies in Kansas from offering abortion coverage as part of their general health plans unless a woman's life were at risk.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Granderson provided other examples of politicians’ disregard for rape victims saying, “[i]t shouldn't really matter which side of the fence you stand on regarding abortion: that tone, that rationale, has no place in the debate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That more people, more women, were not angered by DeGraaf's statements only highlights just how little we are paying attention to lawmakers.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Then, there is the idea promoted by some in the anti-choice movement that women will actually lie about being raped to get free abortions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back in March, Indiana state </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_xf383_QhU"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Representative Eric Turner</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> (R) made the following statement regarding a proposed amendment to legislation enacting a 20 week abortion ban that would have exempted rape and incest victims: “I don't want to disparage in any way someone who has gone through the experience of a rape or incest -- but someone who is desirous of an abortion could simply say that they've been raped or there's incest."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The amendment to the 20 week abortion ban, which Governor Mitch Daniels signed into law last month, failed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">CNN’s </span><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/05/31/granderson.rape.abortion/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_politics"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Granderson</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> goes on to say:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">If men feel comfortable enough to be on the legislative floor and suggest that women and girls lie about rape, or recommend that it is something they should prepare for, one can only imagine what is being said behind closed doors… The notions that rape is a possibility that women should plan for, or that abortions should not be provided to victims of rape or incest because some women might lie about an attack to get their insurance company to pay, reek of misogyny.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">And, as part of the campaign to promote the </span><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jun/6/pro-choice-forces-seek-to-prevent-referendum/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Mississippi personhood amendment</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> that “…would define a ‘person’ in the state’s constitution as ‘every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning, or the functional equivalent thereof’…,”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Personhood USA is traveling around Mississippi on a “</span><a href="http://www.personhoodusa.com/press-release/mississippi-personhood-amendment-26-kicks-conceived-rape-tour-today"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Conceived in Rape</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">” tour advocating legislation that would force rape victims to bear children resulting from rape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A spokeswoman for the organization said, “[i]f you really care about a rape victim, you would want to protect her from the abortion, and not the baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A baby is not the worst thing that could ever happen to a rape victim – an abortion is.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Finally, there is the ongoing and shameful </span><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iyX4XKaobBlt8mC3dqNMiLEGRH9w?docId=3f10ecf3b99345a68fc5d0225188bf1b"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">military ban on abortion coverage</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> for our servicewomen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On May 24<sup>th</sup> the House Committee on Rules “…rejected an important amendment to the FY12 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 1540) that would have ended an unconscionable ban on insurance coverage of abortion care for military women and dependents in cases of rape and incest.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">But on June 2<sup>nd</sup>, Representative Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) “…introduced the </span><a href="http://washingtonindependent.com/110561/new-bill-would-lift-ban-on-federal-coverage-of-abortion-for-u-s-servicewomen-in-cases-of-rape-or-incest"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Military Access to Reproductive Care and Health Act (MARCH)</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">… a bill that would authorize federally-funded abortions for women in the military who have been impregnated as the result of rape…[and]…would also allow servicewomen to use private funds to access abortion services at U.S. military facilities…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Representative Slaughter said in a </span><a href="http://www.louise.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2502:slaughter-gillibrand-introduce-legislation-to-give-women-in-uniform-same-reproductive-rights-as-civilians&catid=95:2011-press-releases&Itemid=55"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">press release</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">As our servicewomen risk their lives defending our country, it is deeply unfair that they are denied the rights of the Constitution that they defend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine being a victim of rape on a United States military base overseas being denied the abortion coverage, and then having to turn to a potentially unsafe local facility. It’s preposterous and incredibly unjust to the women who serve our country so proudly each day.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">With the ongoing </span><a href="http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2011/03/31/militarys-rape-sexual-assault-epidemic"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">rape and sexual assault epidemic plaguing our military</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, it is truly indefensible to impose this punitive restriction and deny our servicewomen basic reproductive health care services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it is “…this discrepancy — </span><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iyX4XKaobBlt8mC3dqNMiLEGRH9w?docId=3f10ecf3b99345a68fc5d0225188bf1b"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">putting servicewomen on a different plane than federal employees</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, federal prisoners and Medicaid recipients…that fuels much of the anger among those trying to change the policy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">At the </span><a href="http://www.aclu.org/blog/reproductive-freedom-womens-rights/defending-rights-women-who-defend-us"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">ACLU Blog of Rights</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, Sarah Lipton-Lubet explained:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In the face of this epidemic, federal law denies servicewomen and military families coverage for abortion care, even in cases of rape or incest. By contrast, the federal bans on abortion coverage for women enrolled in Medicaid, disabled women enrolled in Medicare, federal employees (other than members of the armed services), women who receive health care through the Indian Health Service, and women in federal prisons, all include exceptions for rape survivors. (The only other coverage restriction that doesn’t include a rape exception is the ban on abortion coverage for another group of women serving our country — those in the Peace Corps.)</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">And a recent </span><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/06/02/EDK11JORQE.DTL"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">San Francisco Chronicle</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> editorial remarked that “[a]s a point of simple fairness, it is not right that the federal government covers abortion in the instance of rape for other federal employees, Medicaid recipients and those serving time in federal prisons, but not for female service members…It is an abuse of power by Congress over these women's lives.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The shocking statistics of sexual violence within the military cannot and should not be ignored; and to do so by punishing our servicewomen in this most shameful manner serves no purpose beyond fostering the ongoing belief that rape victims are simply undeserving of their fundamental reproductive rights.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Reproductive rights should not be a luxury enjoyed only by wealthy women – fundamental rights should not be defined by the amount of money in a woman's pocket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Accepting the Hyde Amendment as an inevitable and fated political reality means that we have ceded those rights as not being rights at all anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And sadly, by accepting that reality we provide the political and societal leeway to further demonize abortion rights; that demonization inevitably creates opportunities for the anti-abortion movement to mainstream the notion that rape victims are undeserving of reproductive justice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pro-choice community must be willing to mount a full-throated offensive against the fundamental injustice of the Hyde Amendment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only then can we fight back against the rising movement to further erode abortion rights for rape victims.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
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</div>Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-74513513683605701522011-06-10T14:45:00.000-07:002011-06-10T14:45:48.450-07:00NARAL Pro-Choice Washington PAC 2011 Power of Choice Luncheon An Interview with Keynote Speaker Kathryn Kolbert<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">NARAL Pro-Choice Washington PAC’s 2011 Power of Choice Luncheon featured keynote speaker Kathryn Kolbert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kathryn Kolbert is Director of the Athena Center for Leadership Studies at Barnard College and was the attorney who argued <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Planned Parenthood v. Casey</i> before the Supreme Court in 1992.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Planned Parenthood v. Casey</i> was a seminal case which protected the constitutional right to an abortion yet scaled back the constitutional protections provided by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Roe v. Wade</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I sat down with Ms. Kolbert last Monday after her inspirational speech that elicited cheers from the capacity audience at the Conference Center at Convention Place in downtown Seattle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">We discussed the ongoing federal attacks and state legislative assault on reproductive rights across the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was eager to get her thoughts on the suggestion by some in the media that pro-choice advocates are not doing enough to combat these legislative attacks through litigation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fear being that the current composition of the U.S. Supreme Court would most certainly further dismantle the legacy of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Roe v. Wade</i> as well as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Planned Parenthood v. Casey</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Ms. Kolbert disagrees with the idea that pro-choice advocacy organizations should automatically challenge the some of the more egregious legislation coming out of more and more state legislatures across the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather, she thinks the decision to litigate must be handled on a case-by-case basis, looking at the specific harms of the law, what can be proved in a court of law, and whether there are doctors or affected women who have standing to challenge it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">She also thinks that the laws affecting late abortion, such as the 20 week abortion bans that have been enacted in Indiana, Nebraska, Kansas, Idaho, and Oklahoma which affect only a very few people are the most difficult to challenge and pose the greatest risks should the court challenge reach the Supreme Court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ms. Kolbert agrees with Nancy Northup, the president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, that it is necessary to be thoughtful and cautious when considering litigation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><a name='more'></a> <o:p></o:p><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In a recent blog post at </span><a href="http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2011/05/04/abortion-battle-prochoice-litigators-gunshy-1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">RH Reality Check</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, Ms. Northup disagreed with the idea that pro-choice litigators are gun shy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She noted that recent commentary from </span><a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2291596/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Slate’s Dahlia Lithwick</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> and </span><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> ignores the fact that the Center for Reproductive Rights has “…filed a host of new lawsuits last year and will do so again before the state legislative year is up.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ms. Northup explained:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Media pundits are stoking the anxiety by painting pro-choice litigators as gun shy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slate’s Dahlia Lithwick recently wrote a </span><a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2291596/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">piece</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> suggesting that the pro-choice movement won’t challenge the new abortion restrictions for fear of losing in the Supreme Court. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She writes that the Court’s 2007 decision to uphold the so-called “partial birth” abortion act has “frightened those who are pro-abortion rights into being grateful for what they have.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She then asks, “Do supporters of reproductive freedom really want to cede all this actual legislative ground for concern over a judicial hypothetical?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel Maddow also aired a </span><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">segment</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> that delivered a similar message, concluding that so many of the anti-abortion bills that are blatantly unconstitutional have gone unchallenged because the pro-choice movement has “apparently so far made the calculated decision to let it slide” in order to protect Roe v. Wade from being overturned.<o:p></o:p></span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Moreover, Ms. Kolbert believes that Justice Kennedy may be willing to undermine or cut back on his decision in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Planned Parenthood v. Casey</i>, now that Justice Sandra Day O’Connor has left the Court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ms. Kolbert believes that one of the key reasons <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Planned Parenthood v. Casey</i> developed into an unexpected victory was because of the considerable influence of Justice O’Connor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She questions whether Justices Elena Kagan or Sonia Sotomayor have the same degree of influence within the current Supreme Court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Certainly, Chief Justice Roberts, Justice Alito, Justice Scalia, and Justice Thomas are more than willing to uphold virtually any abortion restrictions that are presented to the Court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Ms. Kolbert and Ms. Northup both agree that the current makeup of the Supreme Court demands strategic decision making when it comes to what laws to challenge and when to challenge those laws.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ms. </span><a href="http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2011/05/04/abortion-battle-prochoice-litigators-gunshy-1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Northup said</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, “[w]e don’t jump just because the anti-choice zealots say jump. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We won’t be baited into a lawsuit. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If a state passes a law that impairs women’s access to abortion services, and that fails to meet constitutional standards, it will be challenged -- <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">when the circumstances and timing are right</i>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">And when addressing the specific issue of the 20 week abortion bans, both Ms. Kolbert and Ms. Northup agree that risking legal challenges to these laws is a lesser priority because these bans affect or regulate a “…small number of procedures that occur later in the pregnancy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, “…abortions performed after </span><a href="http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/05/fetal-pain-bills"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">20 weeks are exceedingly rare</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only 23 percent of abortion providers even offer them; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that just 1.4 percent of abortions occur at 21 weeks or beyond.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Ms. </span><a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/default/article/Big-abortion-fight-may-not-happen-1344609.php#page-1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Northup</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> explained "[w]e're focused on pursuing cases that ensure that women have access to all abortion services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They're trying to move the agenda to a small percentage of cases, but we're not fighting on their turf."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nevertheless, “…abortion-rights advocates tell </span><a href="http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/05/fetal-pain-bills"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Mother Jones</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> they do intend to fight the 20-week bans—they're just waiting for the right test case. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Janet Crepps, the deputy director for the U.S. legal program at the Center for Reproductive Rights, agrees and stated, "I think they are really trying to bait us into rushing into court…We'll go when we're ready. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We're not going to go just because they want us to."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Finally, Ms. Kolbert and I discussed the feeling by some in the pro-choice community that President Obama, although surrounded by strong pro-choice advocates within his administration, has himself been reluctant to take a firm and unequivocal stand in support of abortion rights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Notably, that the compromise with anti-choice politicians to reinforce the Hyde Amendment within the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was not really much of a political sacrifice for President Obama at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And certainly the fight over the Hyde Amendment was never worth risking the President’s arduous battle over his signature and defining legislative achievement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Moreover, ACA has also opened the door to further restrictions in insurance coverage for abortion services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The </span><a href="http://www.nwlc.org/resource/state-bans-insurance-coverage-abortion-are-sweeping-nation-endangering-women%E2%80%99s-health-and-t"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">National Women’s Law Center</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> reports that “[e]leven states…have enacted laws prohibiting insurance coverage of abortion in state exchanges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Five of those states…go even further and reach all plans in the state, banning insurance coverage of abortion in plans outside the exchange as well.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And since ACA “…explicitly allows states to pass laws banning private insurance coverage of abortion in any exchange set up in their state,”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>this problem will only get worse over time until it becomes too burdensome for any insurance carrier to offer abortion coverage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will eventually see all women – low-income and middle income, being deprived of basic access to abortion care services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ACA may turn out to be the precise vehicle by which anti-choice state legislatures completely extinguish insurance coverage for abortion services in this country. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.conscience-magazine.org/news/pr/2011/ConscienceObama.asp"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Conscience</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> magazine, published by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Catholics for Choice</i>, recently “…asked leading authors to provide a comprehensive analysis of President Barack Obama’s prochoice record.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many in the progressive reproductive rights and women’s rights field have whispered it, some have murmured it, but Conscience has finally broken the silence about the administration’s abysmal failure to take action on choice issues.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Open and honest discussions about these political realities, particularly the issues facing the Obama administration in the 2012 election cycle, and challenges presented by the current makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court, must become integral components of the all hands on deck strategy and the dialogue that is needed to combat the ongoing war on choice that is spreading throughout the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
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</div>Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-74925727184907769232011-06-03T21:09:00.000-07:002011-06-03T21:09:47.216-07:00Honoring Dr. George Tiller: A Conversation with National Abortion Federation President Vicki Saporta<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Ever since President Obama’s historic election, clinic violence has been on the rise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that level of violence has increased exponentially since the 2010 midterm elections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Recent news articles have trumpeted how the Obama administration has increased enforcement of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The </span><a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2011/may/04/obama-justice-department-suing-more-anti-abortion-/?kansas_legislature"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Associated Press</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> reported last month that the “…Justice Department under President Barack Obama has taken a harder line against anti-abortion activists accused of trying to block access to clinics, suing at least a half-dozen of them under a federal law that lay mostly dormant during the Bush administration.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Moreover, days after Dr. George Tiller was murdered, Attorney General Eric Holder, and members of the National Task Force on Violence Against Health Care Providers (Task Force) met with abortion rights groups to discuss the security needs of providers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Task Force was established in 1998 and charged with enforcing the FACE Act and coordinating criminal investigations of anti-abortion activities on a national level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, for all intents and purposes the Task Force was inactive during the eight years of the Bush administration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The restoration of the Task Force has made the most significant impact and been the most effective tool in the ongoing battle to stem the tide of clinic violence over the past two years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Specifically, the targeted coordination between federal and local law enforcement has created an effective working partnership that was so clearly absent and vitally needed during the Bush years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">May 31, 2011 marked the second anniversary of the assassination of Dr. George Tiller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Tiller was attending church services in Wichita when he was gunned down by anti-abortion extremist Scott Roeder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Scott Roeder would later be arrested, tried, and convicted of first degree murder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On April 1, 2010, </span><a href="http://www.kansas.com/2010/04/01/1249310/roeder-to-be-sentenced-thursday.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Roeder</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 50 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shockingly, Dr. Tiller was targeted by anti-abortion extremists for </span><a href="http://www.ksn.com/news/local/story/FBI-files-show-Dr-Tiller-endured-more-than-decade/3k9gz4W120yyOJ1UcarnQQ.cspx"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">more than a decade</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><a name='more'></a> <o:p></o:p><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">On the two year anniversary this past Tuesday, </span><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp/43231826#43231826"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Rachel Maddow</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> discussed Dr. Tiller’s murder and the coordinated anti-abortion extremist campaign that created a culture of hate dating as far back as Operation Rescue’s “Summer of Mercy” protests in Wichita and Buffalo in 1991.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Congress enacted the </span><a href="http://prospect.org/cs/articles?article=why_clinic_violence_is_obamas_problem"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">FACE Act</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>after Dr. David Gunn was assassinated in Pensacola, Florida in March 1993.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The FACE Act bans “…blocking clinic doors, trespassing, making violent threats, arson, vandalism, stalking clinic employees, and other forms of violence.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And even though “[m]any of these acts were illegal already…the law made clear that targeting a clinic with these crimes merited a federal response.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The anti-abortion media campaign against Dr. Tiller also fueled hate against him; most notably the constant use of the term “Tiller the baby killer” by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fox News</i> personality </span><a href="http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/jun/05/bill-oreilly/bill-oreilly-called-george-tiller-baby-killer/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Bill O’Reilly</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maddow remarked that Roeder’s ultimate goal was to cut off abortion access wherever possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And indeed, ever since Dr. Tiller’s death, there has been no abortion provider in Wichita or south central Kansas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Attempts by Dr. Mila Means to restore abortion services in Wichita have been thwarted by protests at her office and at her home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2011/03/14/antiabortion-forces-adopt-inyourface-tactics-danger-women-real"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Dr. Means</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> is now seeking alternative office space in Wichita because she was forced out of her office by her landlord who sued her claiming that her abortion practice “…would create ‘a clear nuisance’ and disturb the ‘peaceful possession’ of other tenants.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anti-abortion protesters have threatened her clinic and “…held ‘vigils’ outside the building where her office is located, even though she had not started to offer abortion services.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In April, the Justice Department filed a </span><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43064742/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">FACE Act complaint</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> against Kansas anti-abortion activist Angel Dillard; she is accused of sending a threatening letter to Dr. Means.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dillard is now countersuing the Justice Department alleging “…that the government's lawsuit against her has had ‘an unlawful chilling effect’ on her free speech and religious rights.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Justice Department recently “…filed an amended complaint against Dillard that added quotes from an Associated Press story which had quoted Dillard during a 2009 interview talking about her friendship with Roeder and her admiration that he had followed his convictions.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">However, abortion providers are not only targeted by violent anti-abortion extremists, but by anti-choice politicians as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Similarly, Dr. Tiller was not only targeted by anti-abortion violent extremists, but also by former </span><a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2011/feb/21/former-attorney-general-phill-kline-faces-ethics-h/?city_local"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Kansas State Attorney General Phil Kline</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kline is currently accused of ethics violations stemming from his relentless harassment and investigations of Dr. Tiller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kline charged Dr. Tiller with misdemeanors accusing him of performing illegal abortions in December 2006.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when that case was dismissed, Kline’s successor filed additional charges in 2007.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually, Dr. Tiller was </span><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/03/27/us-abortion-lateterm-idUSTRE52Q73J20090327"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">acquitted</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> of all wrongdoing in late March 2009; and shortly thereafter he was murdered on May 31, 2009.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The political targeting of specific abortion providers and providers in general, inevitably engenders a climate of hate and violence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Last Friday, </span><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp/43200818#43200818"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Rachel Maddow</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> discussed a recent arrest in Wisconsin involving the targeting of abortion providers and clinic workers at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Madison, Wisconsin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man arrested in that case had every intention of murdering Planned Parenthood workers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maddow discussed the arrest within the general context and history of clinic violence throughout the nation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Specifically, she noted the terror inflicted upon abortion providers by the radical anti-abortion movement has resulted in the murder of eight doctors and clinic workers over the past 18 years; and seventeen attempted murders and bombings over the past 20 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Currently, the endless political attacks against Planned Parenthood, that continue to permeate our national political debate over abortion rights, are fueling a culture of hate that becomes fertile ground for inevitable clinic harassment and violence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the recent failure to defund Planned Parenthood at the federal level is now serving to further embolden anti-choice political zealots in state legislatures across the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The most frightening examples of this resultant extreme anti-abortion legislative agenda and political targeting of providers occurred in February when </span><a href="http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/south-dakota-hb-1171-legalize-killing-abortion-providers"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">South Dakota</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> proposed a law that would have permitted the murder of abortion doctors under a “justifiable homicide” defense; the same defense that Scott Roeder tried and failed to present to the court prior to his ultimate conviction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/nebraska-justifiable-homicide-abortion-bill"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Nebraska</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> then followed suit a week later when South Dakota abandoned the alarming legislation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The latest National Clinic Violence Survey conducted by the </span><a href="http://www.feminist.org/research/cvsurveys/2010/survey2010.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Feminist Majority Foundation</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> found that while “…the percentage of clinics reporting FACE violations increased in 2010, the number of clinics reporting that investigations were opened into these FACE violations decreased dramatically.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The </span><a href="http://www.feminist.org/research/cvsurveys/2010/survey2010.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">2010 survey</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> also found “…the percentage of clinics experiencing severe violence has increased to 23.5% of all abortion providers participating in the survey in 2010, compared to 20% in 2008 and 18.5% in 2005.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moreover, this marked the highest level of violence recorded since 1997 when 25.0% of all clinics experienced one or more incidents of severe violence.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">A 2009 Center for Reproductive Rights report titled, </span><a href="http://reproductiverights.org/en/document/defending-human-rights-abortion-providers-facing-threats-restrictions-and-harassment"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Defending Human Rights: Abortion Providers Facing Threats, Restrictions, and Harassment</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, details violence across the nation and the types of tactics used to intimidate, harass, and violently assault abortion providers and clinic workers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The report outlined the increasing shortage of providers; the intimidation and harassment at clinics; and the urgent action needed to protect abortion providers and hold perpetrators accountable for violations of federal and state laws.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the </span><a href="http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2011/03/14/antiabortion-forces-adopt-inyourface-tactics-danger-women-real"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Guttmacher Institute</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> reports that “…the number of abortion providers nationwide has declined by 25% since the 1990s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Currently, more than a third of women of reproductive age live in counties without an abortion provider.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Recently, I had the opportunity to delve more deeply into the alarming increases in clinic violence with nationally renowned expert and president of the National Abortion Federation Vicki Saporta.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked Ms. Saporta to evaluate the political climate fueling this surge in anti-abortion terrorism and the concomitant law enforcement response to that increased violence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The Feminist Majority Foundation’s </span><a href="http://feminist.org/research/cvsurveys/2010/survey2010.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">2010 National Clinic Violence Survey</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, revealed that “[i]n 2010, for the first time since 1999, the percentage of clinics reporting potential FACE violations to federal law enforcement authorities increased…However, of the reported violations only 35.3% resulted in the opening of an investigation, a decrease from 56% in 2008.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">These survey results clearly demonstrate “…the need for increased federal, state and local prosecution of anti-abortion extremists to counter this trend toward higher levels and greater concentration of violence. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Effective law enforcement continues to be a critical factor for reducing violence against clinics.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And notably, “[c]linics which rated their interaction with local law enforcement as ‘poor’ were twice as likely to experience high levels of violence in 2010 as those which rated their experience as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, although the number of FACE Act complaints filed by clinics is up, the number of FACE investigations decreased.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.prochoice.org/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">National Abortion Federation</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> (NAF) president Vicki Saporta and her staff track incidents of clinic violence and threats of violence throughout the country, working closely with the Task Force.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ms. Saporta agrees with recent media analyses indicating that the Obama administration has indeed stepped up its FACE Act enforcement efforts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To date, the Obama administration’s Justice Department has filed six FACE Act complaints versus just one complaint filed during George Bush’s entire eight year tenure in office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">More importantly, Ms. Saporta emphasized that the Obama administration has reinforced a fundamental vision, with local law enforcement in particular, that protecting clinics from violence must be devoid of political partisanship; that clinic violence is first and foremost a law enforcement imperative that must be treated as such by everyone within the law enforcement community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Ms. Saporta explained that the Task Force works closely with local law enforcement to provide comprehensive protection, training, and coordinated law enforcement efforts throughout the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enforcement efforts consist of local law enforcement training and coordination with federal law enforcement personnel and officials, including the FBI and when necessary the U.S. Marshals Service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Ms. Saporta also believes that President Obama’s election created a feeling of great anxiety within the anti-abortion movement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said that political loses like this can cause those within the fringes of the anti-abortion movement to feel increasingly threatened and frustrated, which can lead to an increase in harassment and violence directed towards abortion providers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And even though abortion politics was noticeably absent from the 2010 midterm election rhetoric, after the elections the onslaught of anti-choice state legislation has fueled an environment of hateful rhetoric.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Ms. Saporta stated that as more cases of clinic violence are reported, the Justice Department has become increasingly responsive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She described NAF’s relationship with the Justice Department as being “excellent.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, NAF remains in regular communication with the Task Force.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Task Force hosts law enforcement briefings around the country; works with local law enforcement so they understand their responsibilities for protecting clinics and providers; and clearly defines how laws need to be enforced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The FBI was tasked with being more responsive after Dr. Tiller’s murder and the FBI specifically reached out to clinics around the country immediately after his murder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one thing Ms. Saporta would change however about the FACE Act would be to enhance criminal and financial penalties for offenders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Ms. Saporta explained that the FACE Act complaint filed against Angel Dillard in Kansas clearly demonstrates the difference between free speech and threatening speech.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moreover, Dillard’s counter-suit against the federal government, claiming a violation of her free speech rights, is a common tactic used within the anti-abortion movement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These extremists often sue local law enforcement and municipalities as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ms. Saporta said these counter-suits rarely work and she fully expects the case against Dillard to be successful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Ms. Saporta noted that after the 1998 murder of Dr. Bernard Slepian in Buffalo, local law enforcement protocols in the Buffalo and Rochester area improved dramatically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Slepian’s murder was a huge wake-up call for the Buffalo and Rochester law enforcement community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And increasingly because of the newly reinvigorated Task Force, local law enforcement no longer looks the other way and ignores ongoing and systematic threats of violence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Similarly, following the murder of Dr. Tiller, law enforcement response to incidences of violence and harassment outside of abortion facilities has improved. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ms. Saporta and NAF expressed their gratitude for the Obama administration’s continued leadership and responsiveness towards clinic violence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The pro-choice community must soldier on in Kansas and throughout the nation to continue to honor Dr. Tiller’s memory and courage; and to ensure that Dr. Tiller’s ultimate sacrifice for his patients will never be in vain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div>Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-18676096203143803122011-05-27T21:25:00.000-07:002011-05-27T21:25:52.936-07:00Can the Obama Administration Stop the Planned Parenthood Defunding Domino Effect?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Despite the House GOP’s failure to defund Planned Parenthood in their budget showdown with the White House back in April, the insidious goal to deny critical health care services to millions of vulnerable American women is now systematically winding its way through the states.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back in April, the most vulnerable women in the </span><a href="http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2011/04/11/budget-showdown-casualties-white-house-house-women-bargaining-chips"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">District of Columbia</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> sadly became the casualties of the federal budget showdown when the District was banned from using “…its local taxpayer raised-funds for abortions for low-income women.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And now solely because Planned Parenthood provides abortion services, they are once again under attack in many states across the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Planned Parenthood of Indiana (PPIN) has already been defunded with many more states looking to follow in its footsteps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can the Obama administration risk a political fight to stop this systematic state defunding campaign with the political consequences over abortion rights inevitably pervading that fight in the 2012 election cycle?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/23/us/politics/23abort.html?src=recg"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Obama administration</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> has stated that under federal Medicaid law states cannot deny Medicaid beneficiaries care from any provider simply because that provider also provides abortion services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So how will Indiana, or any other state, be forced to comply with federal Medicaid law?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For months now media reports on the PPIN defunding effort have stated repeatedly that if Indiana defunded PPIN they would risk losing $4 million in federal family planning funds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But will the federal government actually take such “corrective action” and withhold that Medicaid funding?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The outcome of PPIN’s federal lawsuit and the potential action taken by the federal government in Indiana will set the stage for how the increasing number of states seeking to defund Planned Parenthood will persist in those efforts in the coming months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><a name='more'></a> <o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">On May 10<sup>th</sup> </span><a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2011/may/11/nation/la-na-indiana-planned-parenthood-20110511"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> (R) signed a law defunding PPIN.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The legislation also enacted a 20 week abortion ban and “…</span><a href="http://www.indystar.com/article/20110510/NEWS/110510018/1001/NEWS"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">mandates</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> that doctors tell patients that abortion has been linked to infertility.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Indiana law violates federal Medicaid law because under Medicaid states cannot restrict a Medicaid beneficiary’s choice as to what provider they seek out for family planning services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">On May 4<sup>th</sup>, in response to media inquiries regarding the fact that Governor Daniels was planning to sign this controversial law, a spokeswoman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services told the </span><a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2011/may/04/news/sc-dc-0504-indiana-abortion-20110504"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Los Angeles Times</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, “[i]f the state denies payment to these providers that would be illegal…There are some options available to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I can't say what action will be taken to bring the state into compliance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All we can say now is we will review the matter once Indiana decides.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Then on Sunday, May 22<sup>nd</sup>, the </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/23/us/politics/23abort.html?src=recg"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">New York Times</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> reported that “[t]he Obama administration is raising serious objections to a new Indiana law that cuts off state and federal money for Planned Parenthood clinics providing health care to low-income women on Medicaid.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">There have been some questions raised by Governor Daniels’s administration as to whether Indiana was in fact violating federal Medicaid law; and whether Indiana could have certain federal Medicaid requirements waived to permit this defunding effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New York Times</i> has confirmed that, “[t]he changes in Indiana are subject to federal review and approval, and administration officials have made it clear they will not approve the changes in the form adopted by the state.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Since the law defunding PPIN has already gone into effect, the </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/23/us/politics/23abort.html?src=recg"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Obama administration</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> “…may feel pressure to act sooner…” rather than later even though they technically have 90 days to act to bring the state of Indiana into compliance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, with New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Utah considering similar legislative measures, and Kansas Governor Sam Brownback (R) expected to sign a law any day now that “…would redirect about $300,000 in federal family planning money from Planned Parenthood to state and local clinics,” the pressure to take action looms with each passing day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Some of the political pressure on the Obama administration may have been alleviated by the fact that Governor Daniels announced this past Sunday that he will not be seeking the 2012 GOP presidential nomination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Notably, Sunday was the first time that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services provided any public comment on the Indiana law since the May 4<sup>th</sup> statement provided to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Los Angeles Times</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The official statement from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and “cleared by the White House,” was reported by the </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/23/us/politics/23abort.html?src=recg"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">New York Times</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, on Sunday, the very same day that Governor Daniels announced he would not be seeking the GOP presidential nomination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The statement reads:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Federal law prohibits federal Medicaid dollars from being spent on abortion services. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Medicaid does not allow states to stop beneficiaries from getting care they need — like cancer screenings and preventive care — because their provider offers certain other services. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are reviewing this particular situation and situations in other states.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Governor Daniels was still considering a presidential run up until this past Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/22/mitch-daniels-president-2012_n_865185.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Daniels</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> “…had considered a bid for months and was pressured by many in the Republican establishment who longed for a conservative with a strong fiscal record to run.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But with Daniels now out of the presidential race, the Obama administration may have felt more political leeway to not only reinforce their position that Indiana is violating federal Medicaid law but also provide some much needed public support for PPIN’s impending federal lawsuit, which will be decided by July 1<sup>st</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/23/us/politics/23abort.html?src=recg"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> “…can take corrective action, including ‘the total or partial withholding’ of federal Medicaid money. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mere threat of such a penalty is often enough to get states to comply.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the inherent problem in taking such corrective action is that “…the penalty would, in many cases, hurt the very people whom Medicaid is intended to help.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Bear in mind, Governor Daniels was fully aware that this law would violate federal Medicaid law when he signed it on May 10<sup>th</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was aware that he was risking the loss of $4 million in federal family planning funding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, Governor Daniels and the Indiana state legislature were informed last month by state Medicaid officials “…that ‘restricting freedom of choice with respect to providers of family planning services is prohibited’ by federal law.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Governor Daniels repeatedly declared that he was focused on only one thing, making sure that “…tax dollars would not subsidize providers of abortion,”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>telling PPIN that all they needed to do to have their funding restored is </span><a href="http://www.indystar.com/article/20110510/NEWS/110510018/1001/NEWS"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">simply stop providing abortions</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">PPIN and the ACLU of Indiana will be in federal court in two weeks to challenge the law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lawsuit asserts that defunding PPPIN constitutes a “…’a blatant violation of the freedom of choice provision’ of federal law.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last week, PPIN and the ACLU failed to convince the federal district court judge </span><a href="http://www.npr.org/2011/05/11/136208235/judge-allows-indiana-to-cut-planned-parenthood-funds?sc=nl&cc=brk-20110511-1311"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">to enjoin the law temporarily</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> while the lawsuit proceeds to trial, thereby allowing the law to go into effect immediately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And even though the federal government has not joined the lawsuit, “…the administration’s </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/23/us/politics/23abort.html?src=recg"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">statement</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> sends a signal to the court…” and may engender some influence with the court for the fact that Indiana is indeed violating federal Medicaid law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">On Monday, </span><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/05/24/feds-review-indiana-law-targeting-planned-parenthood/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">PPIN President Betty Cockrum</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> said she “…welcomed the federal review…[and]…that it might provide a second avenue of relief if a federal judge decides not to grant the organization's request to block the law.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">But practically, what can the Obama administration do to bring Indiana into compliance with federal Medicaid law?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The state of Indiana risks losing $4 million in federal family planning dollars, but the real losers in this ongoing political demonization of abortion rights are the Medicaid patients that will be deprived of critical health care services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/23/us/politics/23abort.html?src=recg"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">PPIN</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> said that last year they provided health care services “…to 85,000 patients, including 9,300 on Medicaid. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most received contraceptives.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>PPIN “…also performed 5,580 abortions, 21,150 pregnancy tests, 26,500 Pap tests for cervical cancer and 33,000 tests for sexually transmitted diseases.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since the Indiana state legislature and Governor Daniels were fully aware of the fiscal consequences of enacting a law that violates federal Medicaid law, it seems unlikely that Daniels or any other anti-choice governor or state legislature contemplating defunding Planned Parenthood will be scared off by the threat of losing federal family planning dollars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it seems likely that if the Obama administration does cut off Indiana’s federal family planning dollars, Indiana will be ready to go without those Medicaid dollars and sacrifice the critical health care services for thousands of Indiana’s most vulnerable citizens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Interestingly, the federal government appears ready to cut off Medicaid funds in </span><a href="http://www.necn.com/05/24/11/La-House-committee-approves-ban-on-abort/landing_politics.html?&blockID=3&apID=9a43053130924aadb6ed71a47b8f9e5c"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Louisiana</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> if a proposed bill that would violate the Hyde Amendment becomes law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The legislation that was approved by a House committee this week would ban abortions within the first trimester directly contravening <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Roe v. Wade</i>, and only provides an exception for life endangerment but not for rape or incest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Additionally, the </span><a href="http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/05/rep_john_labruzzo_bill_to_outl.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">legislation</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> “…would bar the Louisiana Medicaid program from covering any abortion, also with no exception for cases of rape or incest, a move that state health officials said could threaten about $5 billion in federal Medicaid financing.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.necn.com/05/24/11/La-House-committee-approves-ban-on-abort/landing_politics.html?&blockID=3&apID=9a43053130924aadb6ed71a47b8f9e5c"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Stephen Russo</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, the executive counsel for the Louisiana state Department of Health and Hospitals, said that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services contacted his office on Monday stating that, “…Louisiana cannot continue to receive federal funds for Medicaid if it violates the Hyde Amendment.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Russo explained that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, “…was ready, willing and able to turn that spigot off and we would have to, I would imagine, put up a legal challenge and try to get a stay of order and somehow keep that spigot going…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In fact, back in 1993 when Louisiana refused to comply with the expanded Hyde Amendment that included abortion coverage for rape and incest, the </span><a href="http://www.necn.com/05/24/11/La-House-committee-approves-ban-on-abort/landing_politics.html?&blockID=3&apID=9a43053130924aadb6ed71a47b8f9e5c"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> “…said that a state can't participate in Medicaid if it doesn't fund abortions outlined in the Hyde Amendment's exceptions. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The federal courts - on both the district and appellate level - affirmed the federal government's position.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1995, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in </span><a href="http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-5th-circuit/1305053.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Hope Medical Group for Women v. Edwards</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> affirmed a federal district court ruling that in order for Louisiana to participate in the federal Medicaid program, Louisiana had to comply with the expanded Hyde Amendment and provide Medicaid funding for abortions resulting from rape or incest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">By contrast, </span><a href="http://www.guttmacher.org/statecenter/spibs/spib_SFAM.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">South Dakota</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> “…pays for abortions only in cases of life endangerment,” in clear violation of federal Medicaid law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And South Dakota has been permitted to violate federal Medicaid law, without sanction or any form of “corrective action” from the federal government, ever since the </span><a href="https://litigation-essentials.lexisnexis.com/webcd/app?action=DocumentDisplay&crawlid=1&doctype=cite&docid=35+U.+of+Louisville+J.+of+Fam.+L.+121&srctype=smi&srcid=3B15&key=4f21ccc3e34830747e013fe6a0a8452d"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Clinton administration</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> established in 1993 that under the Hyde Amendment Medicaid funds must cover abortions not only in cases of life endangerment but also in cases of rape and incest.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">So what’s the alternative in Indiana and all of the other states that are planning to defund Planned Parenthood, in clear violation of federal Medicaid law?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can the Obama administration actually stop the defunding of Planned Parenthood in any of these states without simultaneously punishing the most vulnerable Medicaid beneficiaries in this seemingly endless abortion war?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or will the politically powerless constituents throughout Indiana and the rest of the country, once again end up as the predictable losers in this political fight?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Given that any fight over Planned Parenthood will inevitably become a political messaging war over abortion rights, the political reality that the District of Columbia’s most vulnerable women were forced to accept during the April budget showdown may sadly become a political reality for millions more women in the coming months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div>Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-32108231449948114872011-05-21T12:32:00.000-07:002011-05-21T12:34:43.644-07:00The Media’s False Equivalence between Schwarzenegger’s Affair and Sexual Violence<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Just when you think the media cannot sink any lower - the public is now confronted with this vile conflation of a celebrity politician's consensual affair and allegations of extreme sexual violence; the media must stop discussing allegations of rape and sexual violence in the same breath with a consensual affair.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">This narrative is a patently false equivalence because these two stories are wholly unrelated.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The suggestion by anyone that consensual affairs are in any way comparable to rape or any form of sexual violence is abhorrent and absurd.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">And sadly, the New York Times is once again trivializing sexual violence.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">See <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Harsh Light on Two Men, but Glare Falls on Women</i>: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/19/us/19schwarzenegger.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/19/us/19schwarzenegger.html</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">As for these so-called journalists who are effectively outing an alleged rape victim by staking out her neighborhood and interrogating her neighbors, and thereby revealing her identity to everyone in that neighborhood, they are betraying every standard of journalistic integrity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These so-called journalists have now descended into the deepest depths of shame and are violating any semblance of common decency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The suggestion that because this alleged rape victim was assaulted by a famous and wealthy, that now the only way she can protect her privacy is through the good graces of her neighbors who will hopefully protect her privacy is a shocking statement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman Schwarzenegger had an affair with is not a victim – she made a decision to have an affair with a married man and accept gifts in return, including the purchase of her home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>This alleged rape victim was never given the luxury of a choice – and the suggestion that this victim is now going to become collateral damage because her assailant is wealthy and famous is sickening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To accept as a given the idea that the media must investigate who this victim is, what she looks like, even her finances, clearly implies that she cannot be trusted and that her account of the crime is automatically suspect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And insinuating that she was raped because Strauss-Kahn was “attracted” to her is similarly a vile and disgusting notion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Rape has nothing to do with the desire for sex – rape represents violence and degradation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The New York Times must stop debasing itself to this level of shameful tabloid journalism by continuing to perpetuate and enable rape myths in our society.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://prochoicewashington.wordpress.com/">http://prochoicewashington.wordpress.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div>Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-39881853989259192562011-05-19T01:35:00.000-07:002011-05-19T01:35:56.389-07:00The Dangerous Political Targeting of Abortion Providers<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Unfortunately, abortion providers around the country have become far too accustomed to being targeted by not only by anti-abortion extremists’ threats and violence, but also increasingly by anti-choice politicians.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In Kansas, former state </span><a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2011/feb/21/former-attorney-general-phill-kline-faces-ethics-h/?city_local"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Attorney General Phil Kline</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> is currently accused of ethics violations stemming from his relentless harassment and investigations of Dr. George Tiller and his clinic in Wichita.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ethics violation allegations include the mishandling of patient records detailing abortion services as well as using state workers to track the comings and goings of Dr. Tiller’s patients at local hotels in an attempt to uncover patient identities and match names to subpoenaed patient records.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During his February ethics hearing, </span><a href="http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2011/feb/21/former-attorney-general-phill-kline-faces-ethics-h/?city_local"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Kline testified</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> “…that he and his subordinates had the right to deceive other state agencies and didn’t have a duty to immediately correct flawed information provided to a trial judge as they started investigating abortion providers.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Kline charged Dr. Tiller with misdemeanors accusing him of performing illegal abortions in December 2006.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When that case was dismissed, Kline’s successor filed additional charges in 2007.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Tiller was </span><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/03/27/us-abortion-lateterm-idUSTRE52Q73J20090327"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">acquitted</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> of all wrongdoing in late March 2009 and then murdered shortly thereafter on May 31, 2009.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Now </span><a href="http://www.radioiowa.com/2011/05/09/gronstal-says-he-thinks-theres-a-way-to-keep-carhart-out-of-council-bluffs/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Dr. LeRoy Carhart</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> is being targeted in Iowa because he plans to open an abortion clinic that like Dr. Tiller would also provide late term abortion services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2011/05/09/iowa-just-going-draft-carhart-bill"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Iowa state Democratic lawmakers</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> have been trying to revise currently proposed anti-abortion legislation to prevent Dr. Carhart from opening his clinic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By contrast, </span><a href="http://iowaindependent.com/55881/mckinley-bill-is-about-more-than-one-abortion-provider-locating-in-council-bluffs"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Republican lawmakers</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> are only concerned with passing a 20 week abortion ban and believe Democrats are attempting to supplant the 20 week abortion ban proposal with legislation directed specifically at Dr. Carhart’s clinic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In </span><a href="http://iowaindependent.com/55760/democrat-hancock-defends-decision-to-bring-abortion-bill-to-iowa-senate-floor"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Iowa</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, two Senate Democrats broke ranks with their caucus and decided to advance a 20 week abortion ban bill to the Iowa Senate floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pro-choice groups “…have said [that] while the legislation may aim to ban abortions after 20 weeks, a single line in the bill — ‘It is recognized that life begins at fertilization’ — would effectively ban all abortion in Iowa, and wage war on women’s reproductive rights.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moreover, the debate on the bill has failed to “…consider ‘different outcomes’ of pregnancy, including ‘miscarriage, fetal anomalies, delivery, still-birth, and abortion’.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Recently, </span><a href="http://iowaindependent.com/55697/senate-addressing-constitutionality-of-abortion-bill-amendments-anticipated-early-next-week"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Iowa Democratic State Senator Joe Bolkcom</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Iowa Independent</i> that he was working on drafts and amendments “…to thoroughly address the constitutionality of…” the 20 week abortion ban legislation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The constitutional issues deal with the fact that the bill “…stipulates life is recognized at fertilization, effectively banning all abortions in the state.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last week </span><a href="http://iowaindependent.com/55871/bolkcom-nebraska-abortion-laws-wont-work-for-iowa"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Bolkcom</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> said, “…he will introduce a new abortion bill this week aimed at preventing a Nebraska doctor from opening a family planning clinic in western Iowa that would offer late-term abortion services.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://iowaindependent.com/55871/bolkcom-nebraska-abortion-laws-wont-work-for-iowa"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Bolkcom</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> stated that he objected to the Republican proposed 20 week ban legislation because it provides “…no exception for life of the mother, rape, incest or fetus abnormalities that would prevent the baby from surviving after it’s born…What’s more, constitutional experts say the bill as drafted is blatantly unconstitutional.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s not much point in passing an unconstitutional bill that will only embroil Iowa in an expensive court battle.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Last Wednesday, Bolkcom announced plans to impose new restrictions on any abortion clinic that provides late term abortions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His proposed bill would subject such clinics to unspecified criteria to meet a “</span><a href="http://iowaindependent.com/55993/new-abortion-bill-will-be-introduced-thursday"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">certificate of need</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">” requirement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Specifically, the bill provides:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">…a certificate of need may only be granted if the facility will be located in close proximity to a hospital that provides the appropriate level of perinatal care for its patients; and directs the department of public health to adopt rules to determine the certificate of need application fee for such facilities.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2011/05/09/iowa-just-going-draft-carhart-bill"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Iowa Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D)</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> “…has been hemming and hawing on allowing a 20 week abortion ban onto the senate floor for debate and a vote.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has become increasingly clear that the real purpose of the anti-choice legislation is to ensure that Dr. LeRoy Carhart does not open up a clinic in Gronstal’s district while avoiding a possible court challenge to the 20 week abortion ban.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.radioiowa.com/2011/05/09/gronstal-says-he-thinks-theres-a-way-to-keep-carhart-out-of-council-bluffs/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Gronstal stated</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, “[t]he legislation as drafted by the House I think significantly invites a very serious court challenge…So I think we’re trying to look at some ways to fix that up in such a way that we can guarantee a new, late-term abortion clinic doesn’t open in Council Bluffs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">However, last week </span><a href="http://iowaindependent.com/55881/mckinley-bill-is-about-more-than-one-abortion-provider-locating-in-council-bluffs"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Senate Minority Leader Paul McKinley (R)</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> “…lash[ed] out against a Senate Democrats plan to offer a new version of a controversial late-term abortion bill, saying the debate isn’t about a single abortion provider.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>McKinley, angry that a vote on the 20 week abortion ban bill is being pushed aside to go after Carhart, told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Iowa Independent</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">…it is wrong for Senator Mike Gronstal to continue to obstruct a vote and stand in the way of meaningful Senate debate on this issue and Senate Republicans will continue to demand an up or down vote on a late-term abortion ban this session.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are confident that if Senator Gronstal opts to listen to the citizens of his district and allows a vote on a late-term abortion ban, it will pass the Senate with strong bipartisan support.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">But yesterday, amid much controversy on the Iowa Senate floor between Democrats and Republicans, the Iowa Senate did in fact pass the legislation targeting Dr. Carhart’s clinic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The </span><a href="http://iowaindependent.com/56249/tensions-erupt-as-iowa-senate-battles-approves-abortion-bill"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Iowa Independent</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> reported that Senate Republicans angrily protested passage of the bill as a “sham” because it is unlikely to garner enough votes to pass in the Iowa House of Representatives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Senator Mark Chelgren (R) said, “[t]he reality is…we’re going to have an abortion clinic here, because we failed to come together to get anything done again.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The </span><a href="http://www.msmagazine.com/news/uswirestory.asp?ID=13013"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Feminist Daily Wire</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> reported that on Monday: <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">…the Iowa Senate voted along party lines 26-23 to pass a bill that seeks to prohibit Dr. LeRoy Carhart from opening a clinic in Council Bluffs, Iowa. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bill mandates that clinics offering abortion services after 20 weeks, which would include Dr. Carhart's proposed clinic, be located near a hospital with an intensive care unit. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since there is not a hospital in Council Bluffs that meets the standards specified in the bill, Dr. Carhart's clinic would not be able to open there if the bill passes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bill will now go to the Iowa House of Representatives, where it likely will not pass.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">When abortion providers become the targets of anti-abortion extremist violence they can at least seek out the protection of local law enforcement and federal protection under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what options do abortion providers have when they become the targets of anti-choice politicians that seek to punish them for providing abortion services?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Kansas, the relentless attacks against Dr. Tiller, from then State Attorney General Phil Kline, created an atmosphere of hate and violence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">And now Dr. Carhart is becoming the new face of the “evil abortion provider” that anti-choice politicians can exploit for political expediency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The </span><a href="http://iowaindependent.com/56249/tensions-erupt-as-iowa-senate-battles-approves-abortion-bill"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Iowa Independent</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> reported that “[m]ost abortion bills drafted and introduced this session were measures to stop Carhart from opening a surgical clinic…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">How far will Iowa’s anti-choice legislators take their campaign to stop Dr. Carhart from providing late term abortions?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And what possible violence may these attacks engender in the future for not only Dr. Carhart but other abortion providers as well?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-71604805561079000362011-05-13T11:03:00.000-07:002011-05-13T11:03:25.991-07:00Indiana Becomes the First State to Defund Planned Parenthood, Violating Federal Medicaid Law<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">On Tuesday, the </span><a href="http://www.indystar.com/article/20110510/NEWS/110510018/1001/NEWS"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Indianapolis Star</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> reported that Planned Parenthood of Indiana (PPIN) along with the ACLU of Indiana “…will seek a restraining order to stop the state from cutting off its government funding…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On Wednesday, Governor Mitch Daniels signed a bill defunding Planned Parenthood; the bill goes into effect immediately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The legislation also enacts a 20 week abortion ban and “…mandates that doctors tell patients that abortion has been linked to infertility.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indiana becomes the fifth state to enact a 20 week abortion ban, joining Nebraska, Kansas, Idaho, and Oklahoma.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Only hours after </span><a href="http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20110511/NEWS07/305119973"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Governor Daniels</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> signed the law, an ACLU attorney representing PPIN and the solicitor general from the State Attorney General’s office appeared in federal court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later on Wednesday, </span><a href="http://www.npr.org/2011/05/11/136208235/judge-allows-indiana-to-cut-planned-parenthood-funds?sc=nl&cc=brk-20110511-1311"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> “…denied Planned Parenthood of Indiana's request for a temporary restraining order despite arguments that the law jeopardizes health care for thousands of women on Medicaid.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cuts to PPIN can now take effect immediately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Judge Pratt explained “…the state has not had enough time to respond to Planned Parenthood's complaint and that the group did not show it would suffer irreparable harm without a temporary restraining order.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Court has scheduled a hearing for June 6<sup>th</sup> to rule on PPIN’s request for a permanent injunction “…and Pratt said she will rule on the matter before July 1, when new abortion restrictions included in the law are set to take effect.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The joint PPIN and ACLU lawsuit contends that the new abortion restrictions “…forcing doctors to give information -- information they claim is not factual or relevant to the patients and can be misleading…” violates the First Amendment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-05-11-indiana-planned-parenthood_n.htm"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">USA Today</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> reports that the lawsuit also alleges that because PPIN is being defunded immediately:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">…the new law’s defunding provision… would void contracts and grants already in effect, violating the U.S. Constitution's contract clause. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The suit also says that the law imposes an unconstitutional condition on Planned Parenthood by requiring it to choose between performing abortions and receiving non-abortion-related funding, and says that the measure runs afoul of federal Medicaid law.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">PPIN president Becky Cockrum said, “[t]he ruling means that Hoosiers who rely on federal funding have lost access to their crucial and lifesaving preventive health care at Planned Parenthood of Indiana."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Specifically, “…Wednesday's ruling means that 9,300 Medicaid patients at Planned Parenthood's 28 locations will lose services from their preferred provider, and her organization must decide soon, perhaps within days, whether it will continue to serve Medicaid patients…[and]… it will have to stop providing intervention services to partners of persons with sexually transmitted diseases in 22 counties.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>PPIN will lose approximately $2 million of the $3 million they receive each year from federal funding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Moreover, “…about </span><a href="http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2011/05/11/mitch-daniels-defunds-planned-parenthood-of-indiana/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">half of all births</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> in Indiana are funded by Medicaid today and PPIN estimates this will ‘cost the state $68 million in Medicaid expenses for unintended pregnancies by reducing birth control access’.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Of course, Governor Daniels has told PPIN repeatedly that all they need to do to restore their funding is to stop providing abortion services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anti-choice politicians have decided to hold the fundamental constitutional right to choose an abortion hostage while thousands of Indiana’s poorest women pay the ultimate price in this ongoing war on women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cockrum’s response to the ultimatum from Governor Daniels, and from every other anti-choice politician in Indiana, was very clear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.npr.org/2011/05/11/136208235/judge-allows-indiana-to-cut-planned-parenthood-funds?sc=nl&cc=brk-20110511-1311"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">She said</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">: <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Abortion is a constitutionally protected option for a woman, and some 10,000 or 11,000 women in the state of Indiana avail themselves of that because they determine that's the most right thing for them and for their families…It seems to me it makes sense for us to continue to offer those services.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Last week, in response to the pending enactment of the Indiana law and the fact that defunding Planned Parenthood violates federal Medicaid law, a spokeswoman for the </span><a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2011/may/04/news/sc-dc-0504-indiana-abortion-20110504"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Los Angeles Times</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">If the state denies payment to these providers that would be illegal…There are some options available to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I can't say what action will be taken to bring the state into compliance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All we can say now is we will review the matter once Indiana decides.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Indiana has now defunded Planned Parenthood and a federal judge has refused to issue a temporary injunction to stop the Indiana from becoming the “…first state to </span><a href="http://www.npr.org/2011/05/11/136208235/judge-allows-indiana-to-cut-planned-parenthood-funds?sc=nl&cc=brk-20110511-1311"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">cut off public funding</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> to Planned Parenthood for general health services.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, theoretically Indiana should now be at risk of losing “…all of its </span><a href="http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20110422/NEWS07/110429811"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">$4 million in federal family planning</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> money…” for violating federal Medicaid law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the fact that the federal judge refused to issue a temporary injunction does not bode well for the ultimate success of PPIN’s lawsuit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If PPIN’s lawsuit fails to restore its funding other states seeking to defund Planned Parenthood will only be emboldened to charge forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">This loss of federal family planning funding will not only create a health crisis for vulnerable women in Indiana but also create a fiscal disaster for the Indiana state budget.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More importantly, this fiscal disaster will have been brought on by an allegedly fiscally conservative Republican governor with sincere presidential aspirations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently, the need to assuage the fears of social conservatives that criticized him earlier this year “…for calling for a </span><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-05-11-indiana-planned-parenthood_n.htm"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">truce</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> on social issues,” trumps any genuine need to protect the state’s budget.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">But this question remains unanswered: What will happen to Indiana’s federal family planning budget?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will the federal government act to protect the most vulnerable women in Indiana?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will the federal government cut off Indiana’s federal family planning dollars?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">New Hampshire, Kansas, North Carolina, Texas, and Minnesota are also threatening to follow in Indiana’s footsteps and defund Planned Parenthood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will the federal government protect the vulnerable women in those states, or will these states be permitted to violate federal Medicaid law with impunity?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To date, not a single spokesperson from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has answered this question because until this week it was still a hypothetical question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indiana’s governor and U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt have now turned that hypothetical question into a political and fiscal reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825287689375209147.post-23990378560169475592011-05-07T01:32:00.000-07:002011-05-07T01:34:25.529-07:00Will Indiana Become the New Planned Parenthood Battleground?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Despite the House of Representative’s failure to defund Planned Parenthood last month, statehouses across the country are now resuscitating the war on Planned Parenthood. Indiana may become the very first state to defund Planned Parenthood now that Governor Mitch Daniels has offered his unwavering public support for the defunding legislation. Kansas, North Carolina, New Hampshire, and Texas are also taking up this fight. In addition to becoming the very first state to defund Planned Parenthood, Indiana may also become the very first Planned Parenthood battleground decided in the courts and confronted by the federal government. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Last week Indiana’s GOP Governor Mitch Daniels announced that he would sign a bill to defund Planned Parenthood in Indiana; the singular reason being that Planned Parenthood provides abortions. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Politico</i> reports:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The </span><a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/53954.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">bill</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> bars the state from entering into contracts with abortion providers, making an exception for hospitals and ambulatory centers. Planned Parenthood of Indiana operates 28 clinics in Indiana, eight of which are Title X funded clinics. The group received about $3 million in federal funding last year.<o:p></o:p></span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Governor Daniels provided a very clear solution for Planned Parenthood’s funding problem. He stated, "[a]ny organization affected by this provision can resume receiving taxpayer dollars immediately by ceasing or separating its operations that perform abortions." In response, Cecile Richards, the president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, said, "[c]learly, Governor Daniels would rather play politics with women’s health than show leadership and fiscal responsibility in rejecting a bill that will ultimately cost the state millions in federal funding.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The very public battle Governor Daniels is waging against Planned Parenthood appears more politically motivated than most other GOP governors making similar choices because Daniels will soon announce whether he will be running for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012. In fact, the </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/30/us/30indiana.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>New York Times</i></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> recently explained:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The bill cutting off an expected $2 million in Medicaid financing to Planned Parenthood could have become law without the governor’s signature, and Mr. Daniels’s announcement was viewed by some as a sign that he may be leaning toward running and hoping to increase his appeal among social conservatives. Some critics of the bill, who lobbied the governor to veto it, said they were surprised he had turned his attention to abortion when he had, of late, focused firmly on matters of the state’s finances and education, including vouchers for private or parochial school tuition.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Indiana bill not only defunds Planned Parenthood but also enacts a 20 week abortion ban. If enacted, Indiana would become the </span><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/27/us-abortion-states-idUSTRE73Q8XE20110427"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">fifth state</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> to use the </span><a href="http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2010/09/10/nebraska-falsehood-fetal-pain"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">disproved “fetal pain” theory</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> to justify a clear violation of the mandate within <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Roe v. Wade</i>, joining Nebraska, Kansas, Idaho, and Oklahoma. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">It clearly has become irrelevant to anti-choice politicians that there is no federal funding of abortions and Planned Parenthood’s abortion services comprise only 3% of the overall services they provide to the millions of low-income and vulnerable women throughout the country. </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Planned Parenthood clinics “…across the country perform 1 million screenings for cervical cancer, 830,000 breast exams, and some 4 million tests and treatments for sexually transmitted diseases.” However, for anti-choice politicians the very fact that Planned Parenthood offers any abortion services should automatically disqualify them from federal funding. </span><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/04/28/states-fight-defunding-planned-parenthood/"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kansas Representative John Rubin</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> (R) explained, "[i]f that money goes to Planned Parenthood to use for other purposes, that frees up Planned Parenthood to fund abortions, that's the problem we have with it…" <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Trying to reason with such specious arguments has become an exercise in futility for Planned Parenthood advocates across the country. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The hypocrisy of the anti-choice argument to defund </span><a href="http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2011/05/02/indiana-planned-parenthoods-being-defunded-dont-even-abortions"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Planned Parenthood in Indiana</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> becomes even clearer when “…many of the clinics being effected [sic] don’t even perform the procedure.” In fact, Indiana’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Journal </i></span><a href="http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20110428/LOCAL/304289948/1002/LOCAL"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Gazette</span></i></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> explains, “[i]n northeast Indiana, Planned Parenthood served more than 5,300 patients last year – and performed zero abortions…Planned Parenthood has clinics in Elkhart and Fort Wayne, both of which see patients from surrounding counties as well. Neither provides abortion services.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anti-choice politicians unabashedly lie about Planned Parenthood services while simultaneously promoting Planned Parenthood as a federally funded abortion mill. This demonization of Planned Parenthood not only represents an attack on access to critical health care and basic contraceptive services for millions of women, but this calculated demonization is clearly intended to further constrain abortion access across the country as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fox News</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> points out that the defining political difference between the Planned Parenthood battles in the statehouses from the House GOP leadership’s war on Planned Parenthood is:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">…unlike </span><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/04/28/states-fight-defunding-planned-parenthood/"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Washington</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">, where Democrats still control two thirds of government, Republicans are flexing their muscles in states where they made historic gains in legislatures and governors' mansions in last fall's midterm elections. With their new power, Republicans have escalated their fight against abortion and its providers -- particularly Planned Parenthood -- alarming abortion-rights supporters.<o:p></o:p></span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The battleground parameters in Indiana will be defined by how far Planned Parenthood of Indiana can take their fight against Governor Daniels. Theoretically, Governor Daniels is risking the loss of $4 million in federal Medicaid funds because according to a “…spokeswoman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)…states that try to restrict Medicaid beneficiaries freedom of choice for family planning services ‘risk losing federal support…States cannot restrict Medicaid beneficiaries freedom of choice of family planning services even if the state is running a managed care program’…” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">And despite being known as a fiscal conservative, Daniels still has not addressed this potential loss in federal funding. Defunding </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/30/us/30indiana.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Planned Parenthood in Indiana</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> “…would leave 22,000 poor residents of Indiana, who use Planned Parenthood’s 28 health facilities in the state, with nowhere to go for a range of women’s services, from breast cancer screening to birth control.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Planned Parenthood of Indiana President and CEO </span><a href="http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2011/04/30/us_daniels_planned_parenthood/index.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Betty Cockrum</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> said “…Daniels' decision to sign the bill was unconscionable and unspeakable. ‘We will now suffer the consequences of lawmakers who have no regard for fact-based decision making and sound public health policy’…"<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Planned Parenthood of Indiana (PPIN) plans to challenge the law in court. On Tuesday, I asked Betty Cockrum what PPIN will do if the law is enacted and whether they expect any support from the federal government in challenging the law. Cockrum sent me the following statement in response:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Indiana will immediately file for injunctive relief once House Bill 1210 is signed into law by the Governor. While it is likely that the executive branch at the Federal level is monitoring this activity here in Indiana, it may well be that they will wait until final action has actually occurred before they weigh in. In the meantime, as I said, PPIN will be headed to court to delay and minimize the impact of the bill. You may rest assured that PPIN and its partners across the state and nation are fully engaged in protecting our patients in every way and at every juncture.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">And in an effort to forestall this kind of litigation from Planned Parenthood, this week </span><a href="http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/7548482.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Texas</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> legislators “…inserted a poison bill into a women's health program…</span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">a provision that would shut it down immediately if a group that provides abortions files and wins a lawsuit to participate in the program.” Texas state Senator Bob Deuell (R) explained, "[t]he legislature has clearly tried to cut off funding for these entities, only to have it restored by lawsuit…We do not want this to happen again ... if abortion providers are able to sue and win — they have to win the suit — the program will cease to operate." <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Planned Parenthood declared that the proposed Texas legislation would not deter a court challenge to the law. The president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast declared:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">[b]y banning Planned Parenthood from providing health care to more than 40,000 Texas women through the Medicaid Women's Health Program, this Senate bill shreds the health care safety net that saves lives and dollars…Planned Parenthood is prepared to move forward with a lawsuit if that's what it takes to continue to provide cervical cancer screenings and other health care to the women who depend on our health centers.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Beyond PPIN’s court challenge, the question remains will the federal government confront the discriminatory policy of singling out Planned Parenthood for Medicaid defunding?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/27/planned-parenthood-indiana-defund_n_854337.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Huffington Post</span></i></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> reported last week that while the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services “…confirmed…</span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">that states ‘cannot pick and choose who gets family planning funds’…[they]…would not comment on whether Indiana would face sanctions for violating this rule.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tellingly, the federal government’s failure to respond to South Dakota’s ongoing and unchallenged violation of federal Medicaid law may be instructive on this point. According to the </span><a href="http://www.guttmacher.org/statecenter/spibs/spib_SFAM.pdf"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Guttmacher Institute</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">, the Hyde Amendment, while only permitting the use of federal funds for abortion:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">…in cases of life endangerment, rape or incest, has guided public funding for abortions under the joint federal-state Medicaid programs for low-income women. At a minimum, states must cover those abortions that meet the federal exceptions. Although most states meet the requirements, one state is in violation of federal Medicaid law, because it pays for abortions only in cases of life endangerment.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">South Dakota has been permitted to violate federal Medicaid law, without sanction from the federal government, ever since the </span><a href="https://litigation-essentials.lexisnexis.com/webcd/app?action=DocumentDisplay&crawlid=1&doctype=cite&docid=35+U.+of+Louisville+J.+of+Fam.+L.+121&srctype=smi&srcid=3B15&key=4f21ccc3e34830747e013fe6a0a8452d"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clinton administration</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> established in 1993 that under the Hyde Amendment Medicaid funds must cover abortions not only in cases of life endangerment but also in cases of rape and incest. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">If Indiana defunds Planned Parenthood and a domino effect begins in many other states around the country, will the federal government challenge this clear violation of federal Medicaid law? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Another possible avenue for women’s rights groups to fight back against the onslaught of state Planned Parenthood defunding efforts would be to file a complaint with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">In January, the </span><a href="http://www.nwlc.org/press-release/womens-health-and-lives-risk-due-religious-restrictions-hospitals-new-center-study-sho"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">National Women’s Law Center</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> issued </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">two reports revealing “…that certain religiously affiliated hospitals put women’s health and lives at risk by restricting doctors’ ability to provide the best medical care to pregnant women experiencing miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies.” Consequently, the National Women’s Law Center </span><a href="http://www.nwlc.org/resource/center-medicare-and-medicaid-services-complaint-january-2011"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">filed a complaint</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> with </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services urging them to remind all health care providers that they must abide by all Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoPs), and “…require hospitals to institute policies and procedures to protect patients’ legally enforceable rights; to investigate the failure of hospitals to provide standard of care and informed consent, and to take corrective action to prevent further violations.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">And in July 2010 the </span><a href="http://www.aclu.org/files/assets/Letter_to_CMS_Final_PDF.pdf"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> also filed a similar complaint with the </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">regarding the denial of health care at certain religiously affiliated hospitals</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">. The ACLU’s complaint to CMS delineated and addressed “…potential violations of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA)…and the Conditions of Participation of Medicare and Medicaid (COP)…by religious hospitals that refuse to provide emergency reproductive health care.” The ACLU requested that CMS investigate the issue and “…clarify in the appropriate CMS program manual, and issue a transmittal, that denying emergency reproductive health care violates federal law.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">With the aggressive anti-choice agenda to defund Planned Parenthood across more and more states around the country, a concerted plan to attack this insidious effort to deprive vulnerable women of critical health care services is needed immediately. The war against Planned Parenthood calls for an urgent all hands on deck strategy. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the meantime, Planned Parenthood of Indiana welcomes your support. Please consider a </span><a href="http://www.ppin.org/donate/make_donation.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pledge-A-Protest</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> donation to protest Governor Daniels’s politically motivated decision to deprive Indiana’s most vulnerable women of critical health care services. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div>Antoinettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12515920572815892717noreply@blogger.com0