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Reproductive Health Advocates Unite to Defend Birth Control |
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From PR Newswire: Health: Citing strong public support, a group of reproductive health organizations today observed the 42nd anniversary of the legalization of birth control by opening campaigns to defend that right against rising attacks. A new poll on voter support for birth control and prevention strategies released at today's briefing shows strong voter support for the campaigns' goals. The campaigns -- BirthControlWatch.org, sponsored by the Women Donors Network, and Plan A, sponsored by the National Council of Jewish Women --reflect the views of many pro-choice leaders who believe it is now time to move forward on an agenda that puts prevention first and "outs" the opposition to birth control. According to the BirthControlWatch.org poll, between half of voters and six in ten strongly agree that to achieve equality women must have access to birth control, that health insurance plans that cover prescription drugs should also cover birth control, and that the federal government should provide funding for birth control for women with low incomes. But the remaining "small but powerful minority" has used the abortion issue to camouflage their fundamental opposition to contraceptive use and sidetracked action on other important life decisions, such as comprehensive sex education and stem cell research, Snyder said. Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY), chair of the House Committee on Rules and a pro-choice champion, noted that conservatives are undermining Americans' access to family planning information and services through "conscience clauses" that allow pharmacies to refuse to dispense contraceptives; funding for abstinence-only sex education; and opposition to emergency contraceptives and stem cell research.
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