Late last week, members of the Budget Conference Committee worked behind closed doors to complete the state's budget. Within House Bill 1600, there were several anti-choice budget amendments that would have had devastating effects on women's access to health care in the Commonwealth. These budget amendments would have done the following:

• Stripped Planned Parenthood of all state funding for our preventative programs
• Further restricted Medicaid funding for medically-necessary abortions to circumstances when the woman's life is at risk, or the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. It would have prohibited funding for women whose health is at risk or have pregnancies with serious complications
• Imposed unnecessary and burdensome regulations on health care centers that provide 25 or more first-trimester abortions a year.

On Saturday, when the final version of the budget was released, we learned our pro-choice champions had worked to remove these harmful budget amendments.

TAKE ACTION: Please take a minute to thank Senators Howell, Houck and Saslaw for their continued efforts to protect women's health in Virginia.

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am writing to say thank you for your continued efforts to protect and expand access to reproductive health care in Virginia. It is so nice to know that pro-women's health advocates like you are willing to stand up and fight against ideological attacks on basic health care.

In an economic climate where the state is in a deficit and the health care system is insufficient, I am so pleased that you protected the women and men who rely on Planned Parenthood to meet their health care needs. It is not only good public policy but a sound investment in the future of the Commonwealth.

Again, thank you for standing up for women's health!

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
March 06, 2009