In new letter, Senate Democrats state opposition to restrictions on women’s access to health care

(Washington, D.C.) - Led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), today Senate Democrats urged President Donald Trump to steer clear of any attempts to include federal restrictions on abortion care and inject his anti-women's health agenda in the upcoming fiscal year 2019 Budget Proposal.

"Access to safe, legal abortion services is central to a woman's health, her ability to determine her future, and the economic security of her family," wrote Senate Democrats to President Trump in a letter today. "Barriers to health care, including restrictions on abortion, should have no place in the fiscal year 2019 Budget Proposal."

Federal restrictions on abortion coverage can lead to women, particularly low-income women and women of color, having to choose between basic necessities and obtaining an abortion. These restrictions, senators write, are also deeply harmful to Peace Corps Volunteers, federal employees and people in prisons and immigration detention centers, and women around the world who rely on health care providers supported by U.S. foreign assistance.

"Decisions about whether and when to start a family are personal decisions that should be made by women and their families, and it should never be the case that a woman's decision about her health care is denied due to the ideological beliefs of a few powerful individuals in Washington," added the senators.

Joining Murray, the ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, in sending today's letter to President Trump are: Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).

Full text of the letter below and PDF can be found HERE https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/20171215%20Letter%20to%20President%20Trump%20Objecting%20to%20Federal%20Restrictions%20on%20....pdf.

December 15, 2017

The Honorable Donald J. Trump

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania A venue

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We write to express our strong objections to federal restrictions on abortion care that result in less access to care for millions of women in this country and around the world. These restrictions harm women and their families. The Budget process should not be used to continue to harm women's health.

The federal restrictions on abortion coverage can lead to women having to choose between basic necessities and obtaining an abortion. Recent studies have shown that a woman who is denied abortion care is more likely to end up in poverty than a woman who is able to get the care she needs.[1] Others have shown that one-third of women had to choose between delaying or foregoing paying bills, buying food, or paying rent in order to get their abortion.[2] Decisions about whether and when to start a family are personal decisions that should be made by women and their families, and it should never be the case that a woman's decision about her health care is denied due to the ideological beliefs of a few powerful individuals in Washington.

While low-income women and women of color are primarily impacted by these restrictions, women across the country, including Peace Corps Volunteers, federal employees and people in prisons and immigration detention centers, and women around the world who rely on health care providers supported by U.S. foreign assistance, find themselves with no access to abortion coverage because of bans put in place by politicians putting ideology ahead of health care. For vulnerable populations, this lack of access can perpetuate a cycle of poverty. Access to safe, legal abortion services is central to a woman's health, her ability to determine her future, and the economic security of her family.

Barriers to health care, including restrictions on abortion, should have no place in the fiscal year 2019 Budget Proposal. We hope that you will seriously consider this proposal.

Sincerely,

[1] http://www.contraceptionjournal.org/article/S0010-7824(12)00830-X/fulltext

[2] https://www.guttmacher.org/sites/default/files/article_files/j.whi_.2013.03.001.pdf

Read this original document at: https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/senate-democrats-urge-president-trump-not-to-undermine-womens-health-and-rights-in-upcoming-budget-proposal_-