Senator Dave Marsden, D-Fairfax

Welcome back to our new, regular blog series, Virginia Political Pro(choice)files. In this segment, we highlight Virginia’s state politicians who support and fight for women’s reproductive rights while also drawing attention to politicians who are working to undermine the constitutional right to safe and legal abortion. To see how all General Assembly members stacked up in 2011, check out our Legislative Scorecard!

The Political Pro(choice)files: Senator Dave Marsden, D-Fairfax

By Brooke

Senator Dave Marsden is represents Senate District 37, which contains parts of Fairfax County. In addition to his great work on the issue of youth gangs, he has been a constant supporter of women’s health since his election in 2010.

He has supported reproductive choice in Virginia as both a delegate and a state senator.

Senator Marsden worked as the head of the state Department of Juvenile Justice before taking a seat in the Virginia Senate. He is a strong supporter of the best interests of Virginia women, children and families. During this past General Assembly session, he voiced his support for women’s health when he spoke out on the Senate floor against a bill that proposed to regulate abortion providers as a category of hospital. In his inspired speech, Marsden declared:

“In my lifetime there was a constitutional right to vote, but we put obstacles here in Virginia and all throughout Southern states to put an obstacle to people exercising that constitutional right to vote: Poll taxes, literacy tests, of course the argument was well of course we don’t want people voting on that which they don’t understand… I think you need to be careful here how we vote on this and what we’re identifying with…”

This comparison is striking: placing unnecessary barriers in front of citizens attempting to exercise constitutional rights could have dangerous consequences for future generations. The fact is, TRAP laws (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers) are limiting the constitutional rights of Virginia women.

Because of his solid stance on reproductive choice issues, NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia awarded Senator Marsden a pro-choice rating of 100 percent for the 2011 legislative session. The support of Senator Marsden and other pro-choice allies in the Virginia General Assembly is absolutely crucial. There is a war on women in our state and across the country, and we must maintain our pro-choice champions in Richmond to fight back and protect women’s healthcare.

For more voter information, check out the Virginia State Board of Elections website. Regardless of where you live, all Virginia voters should remember that the general election will be held on November 8^th.

The Dangers of Putting Politics before Women’s Health

By Brooke

Inevitably, the polarizing nature of the abortion debate has the potential to harm women seeking basic gynecological services. This is currently the case in Hampton Roads, Virginia as health department officials struggle to make a decision on the licensing of new operating rooms at a Planned Parenthood health center.

As the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports, a proposal from the Hampton Roads affiliate of Planned Parenthood would offer outpatient surgical services to poor women. The proposed operating rooms are intended to treat various gynecological issues from pelvic pain to breast biopsies.

Planned Parenthood is arguing the proposal has nothing to do with abortion, while anti-choice leaders maintain that Planned Parenthood is “a business and their business is abortion.”

However, Dr. Robert A. Rashti, former chief executive officer of the Hampton Roads Planned Parenthood affiliate and neurosurgeon, reports that only about six percent of their services involve abortions.

Mitchell Miller, former president of the Medical Society of Virginia spoke out in support of Planned Parenthood’s application: “There are times when the needs of patients, especially those not blessed with full financial reserves, must transcend the political arena. This is one of those times.”

The national movement towards TRAP (Targeted Restrictions of Abortion Providers) regulations shows how far anti-choice legislators are willing to go to manipulate conversations of basic healthcare for women. The ultimate goal of such campaigns? To end access to safe, legal abortion.

The War Against Women: Coming to a Town Near You

By Brooke

Yesterday, Amanda Iacone of Virginia Statehouse News published an article documenting the war on women that is occurring locally as well as on a national level.

Several states have pursued “copycat” legislation with the overall goal of limiting women’s access to reproductive healthcare. (Copycat laws are just that – laws passed in one state to further restrict women’s health that another state copies.)

Virginia is no exception.

Banning abortion coverage through private insurance exchanges is just one example of such legislation across the country and in Virginia.

Virginia women have also been subjected to TRAP (Targeted Regulations of Abortion Providers) laws that passed in the last session of the General Assembly; a type of legislation that Virginia Statehouse News calls “one of the most common methods lawmakers use to curb the number of abortions by limiting women’s access or shutting down the providers.”

President of NARAL Pro-Choice America, Nancy Keenan, was featured in the article, calling out politicians who came into office with big promises of job creation and economic relief, but have thus far only delivered attacks on women’s rights. Keenan stated: “In (the) next 18 months, I think you’re going to see a backlash of the public. First they thought this was about jobs and the economy — it really has been more about outlawing abortion care in this country.”

The fear for Virginia women and families now lies in the potential for other copycat legislation. Virginia’s anti-choice elected officials put Virginia at risk of anti-choice legislation that has been seen in other areas of the country such as the defunding of Planned Parenthood, requirements that women wait up to 72 hours before abortions, or even criminalization of doctors who perform abortions.

To see the damage that has been done by anti-choice officials in the General Assembly and Governor McDonnell’s administration regarding this war against women, check out our “The McDonnell Administration’s War on Women’s Health: By the Numbers” video. Don’t forget to see how you state legislator stacks up on women’s health issues by reviewing our 2011 Legislative Scorecard.

Summer Intern Series Part 2: Sex & Politics in the Capital City

By Brooke

This summer, Advocates for Youth, the Center for Health and Gender Equity, Choice USA and the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the US (SIECUS), along with partner organizations are holding a series of lunchtime talks for DC-area interns working for organizations with similar goals.

In yesterday’s third segment of Sex & Politics in theCapitalCity, the topic was “Understanding the Attacks on Federally Funded Programs: Discussion on Title X, Medicaid and the Role of Organizations.”

A principal theme of this week’s talk was that there is a national war occurring against women and, more specifically, minority women. The luncheon was led by a panel with representatives from the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, the National Health Law Program, and the DC Abortion Fund.

A lot of our discussion centered on the topic of reproductive healthcare for poverty-stricken minority groups. There was a clear focus on the impact that funding cuts to Title X and Medicaid specifically will have on women’s reproductive health and the perpetuation of poverty amongst minorities.

Because 60 percent of people receiving Medicaid are minorities, these funding cuts are affecting minorities the most. Movements to defund Planned Parenthood and other women’s health centers are also affecting minority women disproportionately because minority women are more likely to use a publically funded facility.

A great point made about these funding cuts to healthcare services is that they have been specifically focused on reproductive healthcare, creating segregation between general healthcare and reproductive healthcare. The problem? Reproductive healthcare is healthcare!

What I really took away from this presentation was how much influence politicians have on our rights. If this worries you too, help us support pro-choice candidates who have women’s reproductive rights in mind.

EC not easy to access

By Rahul

NARAL Pro Choice America’s “BC4ME” campaign is bringing attention to the fact that over 30 million women in the US need access to birth control and one in three of those women struggles with the high cost of prescription birth control.

After an experience with birth control in the US, I wanted to take a look at one specific part of the conversation: accessibility to emergency contraception (EC).

Putting cost of EC (such as Plan-B) into perspective is difficult until you see a comparison for yourself. In India, people pay $ 50,000 (US) to drive a Honda Accord, while people in the United States have access to the same car at about half the price.

However, when we look at something as vital as access to family planning care, we see the tables are turned.

I was born and raised in India and came to the United States for my undergraduate degree about seven years ago. After paying a ridiculously high price for Plan-B a couple of times in the US, I decided to find out how much it costs in India. I was home for my winter vacation last year and one evening I walked into a pharmacy in New Delhi and asked the pharmacist for an i-pill (the counter part of Plan-B in India). I reached for my wallet to make sure I had enough cash. I was already aware of its cost in the United States, so I expected to pay somewhere between 2000 – 3000 Rupees (or $40-$60 in theUS). To my surprise, the pharmacist only asked for 100 Rupees (approximately $2 US). I didn’t know whether to feel elated at this revelation or to feel cheated having spent so much money buying it in the US.

The different experiences showed me how much disparity there is in the right to access basic healthcare. Why are cars cheaper in the US, but access to basic preventative care so much more costly? When it comes to using something as personal as emergency contraceptive pills, why is access in the US so financially burdensome that some people are essentially barred from exercising this right?

One can purchase EC for a fraction of the price in other countries. The table below provides a price comparison for the morning-after pill in different countries.

Emergency Contraceptive pills (Plan – B or its counterpart)	USA	France	UK	India
Approximate Cost (in US dollars)	35-70	10	40*	2-3

 

 

 

 

 

* Free for UK citizens

Morning-after pills (sold for $10 in France and several other European countries) are usually manufactured by US companies. Then why are they so expensive in the United States? Basic economic principles tell us that higher prices can deter people from purchasing a product. The current high price of EC in the US could reduce its accessibility to a large part of the country.

In financially uncertain circumstances, we have to choose where we spend our resources. Women may choose not to spend limited money on the morning-after pill (especially if the choice is between EC and food on the table) and just hope that they don’t get pregnant. This could result in numerous unintended pregnancies that could have been prevented if the morning-after pill (and all birth control for that matter) was made affordable to everyone. Across the pond, a study in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology shows how fast and easy access to the morning-after pill could prevent ten percent more unintended pregnancies.

Matters become worse for young women. The newest form of EC, ella®, is only available by prescription, making it potentially more expensive than Plan-B. Such financial constraints may be even more burdensome for young women with limited access to income who deserve the right to the most effective forms of family planning.

In the United States where Republicans, Democrats and everyone in between have been fighting over abortion for about four decades, one would presume that easy access to the morning-after pill would be a bipartisan agenda. Unfortunately, the price and lack of access tell a completely different tale.

Reproductive Rights in the News: In Case You Missed It

By Brooke

Here are some quick reproductive rights highlights featured in the news recently:

• A Mother Jones article by Kate Sheppard talks about the new TRAP (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers) laws in Kansas, which are similar to those recently passed in Virginia. In the article, NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia executive director Tarina Keene notes TRAP regulations really serve “just to make life extremely difficult, if not impossible, for these facilities.”

Sharon Levin, the vice president of the National Abortion Federation, echoed the statement: “These are really politically motivated laws. These laws have nothing to do with patient safety.”

Providers in Kansas were given only two weeks to comply with the new regulations; it remains to be seen how long Virginia providers will have after draft regulations on September 15th (with final regulations approved by January 1, 2012). There is fear that the state health department will require Virginia providers to follow the same regulations South Carolina adopted in 2003 that “went so far as to dictate proper procedures for mowing the lawn.”

TRAP regulations use unwarranted and unnecessary restrictions to limit women’s ability to access full healthcare options. As Jezebel wrote so markedly in their response to: “We are curious to know what effect janitors’ closets have on the safety of women seeking care.”

• An Op-Ed in the Daily Press from Tamara Dietrich recapped this year in reproductive news. Dietrich cited the attempt to narrow the definition of rape under abortion law, the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act,” and the Virginia General Assembly’s passage of TRAP legislation as the pronounced lows of this year. Tamara Dietrich quoted The Guttmacher Institute’s Elizabeth Nash stating: “It’s pretty much an all-out, anti-abortion free-for-all.”

• The Richmond Times-Dispatch chose to fact check our “McDonnell’s War on Women: By the Numbers” video. They ultimately confirmed the sad fact that we were not exaggerating about the extent of Governor McDonnell’s recent attacks on women’s health and reproductive rights in Virginia.

June Volunteer Orientation

By Brooke

We would like to send out a big thank you to everyone who came out for our second quarterly volunteer orientation last night! Attendees ate delicious pizza and received a thorough review of the current status of reproductive rights in Virginia and in the US. We have seen so many attacks on women’s health this year, from bans on private insurance coverage of abortion to attempts to defund Planned Parenthood. These attacks prove again that the people we have in office play a crucial role in shaping the future of women’s health inVirginia.

That is why the 2011 statewide elections inVirginiaare critical. Last night was one opportunity to stay involved and informed.

To show our volunteers some tools for working on issues, Jenny from the Virginia Civic Engagement Table  stopped by to give a talk on virtual phone banking, which allowsVirginia to get involved from home.

Virginia voters should remember that the primary will take place on August 23 and Election Day is November 8. For information on registration, polling locations, and more, please visit the Virginia State Board of Elections. For information on candidates and redistricting, see VPAP.org. To see how state elected officials voted in the recent session, please reference our 2011 Legislative Scorecard and be on the lookout for our next Virginia Political Pro(choice)files blog post!

If you are interested in volunteering and/or have not yet signed up for our Volunteer e-Newsletter please contact Joey Richards. Our next Volunteer Orientation will be held in September.

Turning the Tide for Women’s Health

By Leigh

A recent poll in Politico shows 79 percent of adults in the U.S. “feel Congress has focused too much on abortion and not enough on things like preventive care, reproductive health and expanding access to birth control.”

This seems like promising statistic for women’s health in our country. However, the poll also revealed only 4 in 10 people would take the defunding of Planned Parenthood into consideration when voting. It seems like now, more than ever, constituents should be voting for candidates who support women’s health and work towards comprehensive health care. 

For example, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act passed overwhelmingly in the U.S. House. Though it aims to end abortion funding, it also has many detrimental effects on all aspects of women’s reproductive health. On the state level, Virginia’s General Assembly passed new legislation during the 2011 session to limit access to safe, legal abortion by singling out abortion providers for new, unnecessary regulations. This bill came in addition to a ban on private insurance coverage of abortion care and the renewal of nearly $900,000 in funding for failed, abstinence-only-until-marriage programs in our state.

While it’s reassuring the majority of Americans believe the policy focus should shift towards reproductive rights and preventive care, it’s discouraging that our elected officials spend so much time focusing on restricting women’s access to health care, instead of working on legislation that would protect and promote the well-being of everyone in this country.

This will surely be a critical year inVirginiafor turning the tide back in favor of women’s health. We currently have 92 legislators who are either mixed- or anti-choice. If we lose even two seats in the state Senate, we can expect the McDonnell Administration and its allies will launch a full-scale assault on women’s health in our state. It is essential that in the upcoming statewide elections Virginians vote for candidates that protect and not restrict education and health access for the women of the Commonwealth.

Maybe in the years ahead, with a little luck, this poll will read, “100 percent of elected officials are concerned with promoting and protecting women’s reproductive health, and 100 percent of Americans have access to contraception and preventive care they need and deserve.” We can start that trend here in Virginia.

Be sure to attend our next volunteer orientation on June 14 inAlexandria to learn more about what we will be doing to protect women’s health inVirginia this year and beyond.

And if you missed it, check out our new blog series profiling Virginia’s state politicians and their views and actions on women’s health.

Virginia Political Pro(choice)files: Senator Mary Margaret Whipple

By Brooke

Welcome to our new, regular blog series, Virginia Political Pro(choice)files. In this segment, we highlight Virginia’s state politicians who support and fight for women’s reproductive rights while also drawing attention to politicians who are working to undermine the constitutional right to safe and legal abortion. To see how all General Assembly members stacked up in 2011, check out our Legislative Scorecard!

Virginia Political Pro(choice)files Part 1: Senator Mary Margaret Whipple

Throughout her career representing the 31^st district, Senator Mary Margaret Whipple, D-Arlington, maintained a solid record voting to protect women’s health. In February of this year, Senator Whipple announced that, after 15 years in office, she would not run for re-election to the Virginia State Senate.

Her clear passion for women’s rights throughout her time in Richmond is why NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia will honor Senator Whipple with our Defender of Choice Award this Saturday, June 4th at our inaugural Power of Choice event at the Arlington Arts Center.

Senator Whipple was chief patron or co-patron of at least six different bills advocating for reproductive rights and the improvement of women’s health services in Virginia throughout her tenure. These bills include the Birth Control Protection Act and a successful bill creating the “Trust Women, Respect Choice” license plate.

She also has a long history of opposing anti-choice measures. Just this year, Senator Whipple gave a heartfelt speech on the Senate floor while fighting against Senate Bill 924, a bill that forces women’s health centers performing five or more first-trimester abortions per month to be regulated as a category of hospital. Despite Senator Whipple’s efforts, this politically-motivated bill passed. Senator Whipple recognized the bill discriminates against low-income women, who could now be forced to travel long distances to obtain safe, legal abortions. She stated during the debates, “This does nothing to end abortions. It is purely discriminatory. It makes my heart sick and I hope that each of us will think in our own conscience about what we are doing today.”

NARAL Pro-choice Virginia expresses sincere thanks and gratitude to Senator Whipple for her constant support of women’s continued access to reproductive health care. So please, join us this Saturday as we recognize Senator Whipple’s tireless efforts to support reproductive rights in Virginia.

For more information or to purchase your tickets, check out our website or go to our Facebook page.

Why Pro-Choice Votes are so Important

By Brooke

At the York Democratic Banquet on May 14th, Delegate Robin Abbott, D-Newport News and Senator Mamie Locke, D-Hampton discussed the importance of Democrats supporting reproductive rights in Virginia. This comes in the wake of bans on private insurance coverage of abortion care and new, unwarranted regulations on abortion providers during the 2011 Virginia General Assembly session. Both could severely undercut Virginia women’s access to safe, legal and vital reproductive health care. Some Virginia Democrats attribute this painful loss for women’s health advocates directly to the anti-choice votes of Democratic Senators, Charles Colgan, D-Prince William and Phillip Puckett, D-Russell. If just one of these senators voted with their party, both measures would have failed. As Delegate Abbott stated at the banquet, “I feel like we’ve stepped back 40 years and we need to work hard to turn this trend back around.”

It is clear that the way our state elected officials vote has a direct impact on continued access to reproductive healthcare. To find out more about how your legislators voted on reproductive choice issues during this year’s session, be sure to check out our 2011 Legislative Scorecard. Let’s be sure to thank our allies and let those who oppose comprehensive reproductive health care for Virginia women know how we feel as well.