With the goal of moving reproductive rights to the top of the legislative agenda in the 111th Congress, Reps. Diana DeGette, (D-CO) and Louise Slaughter, (D-N.Y), and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), have reintroduced "Prevention First" legislation.
The measure's goals are lofty – to tackle the unacceptably high rate of unplanned pregnancies in the U.S. Currently, half of pregnancies are unintended and half of those end in abortion. The bill would tackle the problem from several angles, by:
* Increasing family planning funding,
* Ending insurance discrimination against women,
* Improving awareness about emergency contraception, and
* Requiring programs to focus on medically accurate sex education.
If we want to reduce the number of abortions in this country, the path is clear – empower women to prevent unintended pregnancies through education and access to contraception. Please sign our petition and urge your elected officials to sign onto this important legislation today!
Dear [Senator/Representative]:
I am writing to urge you to co-sponsor the Prevention First Act, which would increase access to family planning services, improve access to comprehensive sex education for teens, and help prevent unintended pregnancies. Affordable access to birth control and reproductive health services improves public health by allowing couples to plan their families and by reducing our nation's staggering rate of unintended pregnancy.
Half of pregnancies in the U.S. are unintended and more than 17 million women need publicly funded contraceptive services and supplies because they are unable to access or purchase them on their own. Between 1994 and 2001, unintended pregnancy among low-income women increased by 29 percent, while it decreased by 20 percent among women with higher incomes.
Please co-sponsor the Prevention First Act, to take a critical step toward addressing the unmet need for family planning services for all women.
[Your Comments]
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
