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 Why
supporting woman-friendly legislation is good for your health
by Katrina Woznicki
Elections on November 5 will determine whether lawmakers
fighting for women's health bills currently before Congress keep
or lose their jobs. If you think your vote won't make a difference,
you are underestimating how close the congressional contest could
be: These important pieces of legislation tend to be backed by Democrats,
who have only a single-seat majority in the Senate. If Republicans
take control of the Senate, they will likely approve President Bush's
anticipated anti-choice nominations for any Supreme Court vacancies.
Between one and three justices could retire at any time; even a
small change to the court could reverse the already-eroded Roe v.
Wade decision.
It's time to throw a little of your political
weight around. Contact your representatives to voice your support
for the health causes and legislation you believe in. (Log on to
www.vote-smart.org
- a nonpartisan voter-education group
- to find out who represents you and how to view their voting records.)
Then, come Election Day, cast your vote for congressional candidates
who support woman-friendly laws on important issues like these:
Advancing your reproductive health
Shockingly, the United States ranks 20th among 49 industrialized
countries in the number of women dying during pregnancy and child-birth.
The Safe Mother Act for Research and Treatment, introduced by senators
Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), would support
research into the prevention and treatment of pregnancy-related
complications. It would also study the effects of medication for
chronic conditions on pregnancy. The Hormone Disruption Research
Act of 2002, sponsored by Representative Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.),
aims to funnel as much as $500 million into a five-year research
program that examines how various chemicals in air, water, household
products and food affect our hormones.
Upping your quality of life
Senator Olympia Snowe's (R-Maine) Equity in Prescription Insurance
and Contraceptive Coverage Act would require employers that cover
prescription drugs to also cover prescription contraceptives. With
the Women's Autoimmune Diseases Research and Prevention Act of 2002,
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) is calling for further research
into new prevention strategies and treatments for diseases such
as lupus and multiple sclerosis, which affect many more women than
men.
Improving your overall wellness
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) introduced an amendment
to the Public Health Service Act that would set up finding for nutrition
education and counseling, and research solutions for obesity and
eating disorders. The Wise Woman Expansion Act, introduced by Senator
Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), would expand a pilot project that is currently
available in only three states. Uninsured and low-income women nationwide
would have access to preventive services such as cholesterol, blood
pressure and osteoporosis screening along with nutritional education
and smoking-cessation programs.
Who's working against your health?
Check up on these lawmakers' medical records.
In terms of women's reproductive health, some reps' voting histories
speak for themselves. Learn how three who are up for election could
affect you.
- Representative Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) introduced
the Partial-Birth Abortion Act of 2002. This proposed legislation
does not contain an exception for instances where a woman's health
is at risk.
- Representative Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) introduced
the Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2001, which would make it
illegal to harm a fetus. The bill, if passed, would be another
blow to a woman's right to choose.
- Representative Ernest Istook (R-Okla.) supports
abstinence-only education and has consistently voted against abortion
rights and emergency contraception.
---Katrina Woznicki is a writer in Washington,
D.C.
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