In less than 24 hours, the U.S. House of Representatives is going to vote on one of the most deceptive bills I’ve ever seen.
Anti-choice zealots in Congress – led by Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) – are exploiting the very important issues of sex discrimination and gender inequity to pass an extreme bill that attacks a woman’s right to choose.
There is no question that it’s wrong for a woman to be pressured to have a child of a particular sex. Sex-selection abortion is a real problem – and it needs to be addressed.
But the Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act proposed by anti-choice leaders is an unworkable and divisive measure. The bill could:
Subject a doctor to five years in prison for failing to determine if sex is a factor in a woman’s decision to choose abortion.
Threaten any medical professional who does not report even a suspected case of sex-selection abortion with a one-year prison sentence.
Please tell your representative to vote against this divisive bill.
http://action.prochoiceamerica.org/site/R?i=ftAsO8xUArBDueTk1zKzSg
It’s impossible to believe that Rep. Franks and his allies behind the bill suddenly care about women’s rights.
Supporters of the Franks bill have tried time and again to dismantle the health-reform law, which would make basic health care more affordable and provide prenatal care to virtually all women at no cost. Many of the Franks bill sponsors have voted to end federal funding for domestic and international family-planning services. They also have rejected equal pay for women, contraception coverage, and slashed funding for programs that serve women and children.
It’s offensive that politicians who voted against equal pay and prenatal care are attempting to wrap their anti-choice agenda in the rhetoric of women’s rights.
We need your help to tell the House that this bill is wrong and needs to be stopped. Take action today.
Lawmakers who sincerely want to end gender bias should support policies that work to combat the stereotypes and discrimination that continue to plague our society. This alternative approach would unify – not divide – our country without taking away any woman’s right to make her own personal, private medical decisions.
But the anti-choice Franks bill represents cynical politics at their worst and is out of touch with our nation’s values and priorities. Please urge your lawmakers to vote no.
Thanks for speaking out today.
In solidarity,
Nancy Keenan
President, NARAL Pro-Choice America
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