Time to Fight Racially Unfair Restrictions on Reproductive Rights

By Terry Keleher Jan 15, 2010

The Center for Reproductive Rights has a new video featuring video blogger Jay Smooth breaking down the Hyde Amendment which has been used to ban federal government spending on abortion for nearly 35 years. During the recent national health care debate, the Stupak and Nelson amendments propose to take the unprecedented step of expanding the Hyde restrictions on public spending into the private insurance marketplace. Women of color and low-income women who cannot afford abortions are disproportionately hurt by these restrictions, which can have life-threatening consequences. According to the Center for Reproductive Rights:

Because of Hyde, women who rely on Medicaid cannot get an abortion in most circumstances — even if her health is jeopardized by her pregnancy — unless she is able to cover the entire cost out-of-pocket. Similar restrictions have been imposed on women who rely on the health benefits provided to federal employees, military personnel and their dependents, women served by the Indian Health Service, Peace Corps volunteers, Medicare enrollees and women in federal prisons.

The members of Congress who want to strip abortion coverage from healthcare always cite the Hyde Amendment in arguing that current law on abortion is fair. The impact of Hyde will actually be hugely expanded when the healthcare bill adds millions more women and families to Medicaid. This sorry status quo isn’t fair at all.

Learn how you can fight reproductive rights restrictions at http://www.Noabortionban.org

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