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A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Ted Miller, 202.973.3032

NARAL Pro-Choice America Calls President Obama's Action on Dangerous Bush-Era Rule a Victory for Women

Bush Refusal Rule could have jeopardized women’s access to birth control, other basic health care

WASHINGTON

Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, today praised
the Obama administration for moving forward to repeal the anti-choice
Federal Refusal Rule.

News organizations first reported the administration's intentions
today. This rule, put in place in the closing days of the Bush
administration, could allow insurance companies to deny claims for the
birth-control pill, hospitals to refuse emergency contraceptives to
rape survivors, and employees at HMOs to refuse their patients
referrals for abortion care.

"President Obama's action today to move forward in repealing this
rule reinforces why elections matter and how new leadership can end
divisive policies that harm women," Keenan said. "President Obama has
signaled his intent to honor the public's call for a focus on
commonsense, common-ground solutions that make a difference in the
lives of women and their families. We will continue to work with
President Obama to change the tone of the debate over reproductive
rights by protecting women's access to contraception, which actually
helps prevent unintended pregnancies."

NARAL Pro-Choice America, which was cited in the original July 15, 2008 article in The New York Times
about the proposed regulation, channeled more than 25,000 comments the
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) website when this
proposal was first introduced. Leading members of the U.S. Senate and
House from both sides of the debate over reproductive rights sent
letters calling on then-HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt to abandon the
regulation. In addition, medical organizations, faith-based groups,
governors, state attorneys general, state legislators, and even members
of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission called for the Bush
administration to abandon the proposed regulation.

For over 50 years, Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America) has fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom at the federal and state levels—including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and post-partum care, and paid family leave—for everybody. Reproductive Freedom for All is powered by its more than 4 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion.

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