Last night, the House of Representatives voted for health care legislation that requires women who are insured through the Exchange to purchase riders for coverage of abortion services and eliminates abortion coverage in the public option altogether. Here is the Center for Reproductive Rights President Nancy Northup's response:
"Last night’s vote in the House is a stunning assault on women’s health and rights. In a matter of hours, our elected officials have fallen hook, line and sinker for the anti-choice position, dispensing with a credible compromise on abortion and adopting a bill that would leave millions of women worse off than they already are today.
"American women demand that members of the Senate refuse the political bait which sullied the House vote and protect women’s health. Health care reform is supposed to provide affordable health care coverage to all Americans. Yet for women, this legislation gives with one hand and takes away with the other, forcing millions to buy insurance that does not meet all of their medical needs."