By CAP Action War Room

The Latest Ploy in The Ongoing Attack on Women’s Health

Women’s access to basic health care continues to be under attack at both the state and federal level. The most recent threat came this week when Republican lawmakers in the Senate snuck anti-choice provisions into a bipartisan bill aimed at helping victims of human trafficking. The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, which would establish a fund for victims of human trafficking, wasn’t supposed to be controversial. In fact, it enjoyed wide bipartisan support until Senate Democrats discovered that Republicans added language that would restrict federal funding for abortion–even forcing underage victims of rape to carry their pregnancies to term. Democrats have now vowed to hold the entire bill until the anti-choice language is removed.

The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act is just the latest attempt to restrict women’s reproductive rights on the national level. Unfortunately, actions on the state level are even worse. Last week, West Virginia Republicans overrode a gubernatorial veto and passed a 20-week abortion ban. With the veto override, West Virginia became the 11th state to prohibit abortions past 20-weeks, despite the fact that over the last few years courts have blocked several 20-week abortion bans for violating protections offered under Roe v. Wade. Montana and New Mexico are among other states considering 20-week bans under the guise of “fetal pain,” which scientists agree does not exist. And earlier this month, Wisconsin Governor and likely 2016 presidential candidate Scott Walker also said he would sign a 20-week ban.

While Democrats have been able to prevent anti-choice language from creeping into federal law thus far, these state-based corrosive efforts are working. A ThinkProgress investigation found that the maze of state abortion restrictions, usually framed as legal regulations, is driving the price of abortion services up so high that lower-income women are effectively priced out of the market. The attack on women’s healthcare has gone so far that a Texas Republican legislator has protested her colleagues’ proposal to cut funding for cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood clinics, saying that without that “provider network, women cannot be served. And they will die.”

BOTTOM LINE: From trying to shut down the Department of Homeland Security, to undermining international agreements with Iran, to voting 56 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the Republican Party has proven it is unfit to govern. These recent threats to women’s health are just another example of how out-of-touch and dangerous GOP policies can be.

Right now, there are 1.2 billion people around the world who are deprived of basic rights and opportunities to achieve their potential.

We’re a community, hundreds of thousands of people strong, who just aren’t willing to accept that–and we’re doing something about it. Global Citizen is movement that will amplify your voice, use your passion, and take meaningful action.

Become a Global Citizen and provide a voice to the 1.2 billion people who live in extreme poverty.

We surprised Florida lawmakers on Monday by dropping off 12,000 postcards at their doorstep with a powerful message: No guns in our schools — period. 

I flew to Tallahassee for this event because this fight is personal for me. My son, Christopher, was shot and killed near UC Santa Barbara last year. I was honored to stand with dozens of other parents this week and ask lawmakers to keep our schools and campus communities safe.

I wanted to share these photos from the advocacy day and thank you for everything you’ve done to support this fight. If you would like to continue fueling this important work to keep guns out of our schools, please consider making a gift to help Stop Crazytown now.

A staffer in the state legislature accepts postcards signed by constituents.

Moms, survivors, law enforcement, educators, and students all gather in front of the capitol.

Florida A&M University Police Chief Terence Calloway: “Forcing colleges and universities to allow concealed handguns on campus is a perfect way to … turn our communities into dangerous, risky places to be.”

More than a dozen TV stations and newspapers covered the TV ad we’re airing across Florida.

In total, the NRA is pushing bills in 24 states that would allow guns on college and university campuses and in K-12 schools. It’s part of their “guns everywhere, for anyone” vision for our country and frankly, it’s Crazytown.

These bills put the safety of our kids and communities at risk — so Everytown and Moms Demand Action are wasting no time fighting back.

If you want to help fight the NRA’s dangerous agenda in states all across the country, please consider making a gift now:

https://donate.everytown.org/donate/Stop-Crazytown-Guns-in-Schools/

At the end of the day, we’re trying to keep our families and communities safe. Your gift — like your energy and activism — will help win this fight.

Thanks for helping to drive this work forward,

Richard Martinez
Santa Barbara, CA