Bush Should Fulfill Promise of Uniting, Not Dividing, the Country

Washington, DC – As President Bush prepares to deliver his State of the Union address, NARAL Pro-Choice America President Nancy Keenan challenged him to use this opportunity to unite the country by abandoning his divisive attacks on safe, legal abortion and devoting his efforts instead to commonsense prevention measures that will reduce the need for abortion. Following is a statement from Keenan:

"The White House has announced that, with this address, President Bush intends to renew his appeal to change the tone in Washington. The debate around abortion rights would be a great place to start. Americans are tired of political attacks; they want real solutions. A band of courageous pro-choice and pro-life lawmakers has bridged the divide and introduced a package of bills that would dramatically reduce the need for abortion – yet the White House and congressional leaders steadfastly ignore them. It’s time for the president to weigh in.

"We call on the president to take eight specific actions in 2006 that would dramatically reduce the need for abortion: Rogue pharmacists shouldn’t be allowed to deny women their birth-control prescriptions. Rape survivors should be offered emergency contraception (the "morning-after" pill) in hospitals – and our military women overseas should also have access to the medication. Young people should get honest, realistic sex education. Insurance companies shouldn’t discriminate against prescription birth control. We should do more to prevent teen pregnancies. And finally, the White House should stop interfering in the FDA’s business and allow the agency to approve over-the-counter sales of emergency contraception.

"If the president is willing to abandon his political attacks on safe, legal abortion, we stand ready to work with him – and together we could make a real difference in women’s lives."

A detailed list of the eight things President Bush and Congress can do in 2006 to reduce the need for abortion follows.

Each of these proposals sets aside the abortion issue and focuses on ways to prevent unintended pregnancy.

1. The Prevention First Act (S.20/H.R. 1709) is a bill that clearly bridges the pro-choice/pro-life divide. Sponsored by Sen. Harry Reid and Rep. Louise Slaughter, it is a thoughtful package of services to help women and couples prevent unintended pregnancy – which would reduce the need for abortion. It increases funds for family-planning services, assures contraceptive equity in health-insurance plans, and improves women’s access to emergency contraception, among other things. Moreover, polling shows that Americans prefer prevention-based measures over President Bush’s anti-choice agenda by a 61-to-27 percent margin.
    
2. The Real Education About Life Act ("REAL": S.368/H.R.2553), sponsored by Sen. Frank Lautenberg and Rep. Barbara Lee, would establish the first-ever federal sex-education program for young people. There are three separate federal "abstinence-only" programs that by law must forbid discussion of contraception's benefits in preventing pregnancy – yet there is no similar program for honest sex education that teaches about both abstinence and birth control. The current federal "abstinence-only" programs are so controversial and prescriptive that three states simply refuse to accept the funds. REAL is bipartisan and has more than 100 sponsors – and polls confirm that 90 percent of the "engaged" public supports honest, realistic sex education for young people.
    
3. Women across America are encountering rogue pharmacists who refuse to fill their birth-control prescriptions – and in some cases lecture and humiliate them in public. The Access to Legal Pharmaceuticals Act ("ALPhA": S.809/H.R.1652) would ensure that a woman receives her prescription contraception, whether or not an individual pharmacist has an objection. This legislation is bipartisan and has more than 100 cosponsors – and it has overwhelming public support. Nearly 80 percent of the general public – and even more than 70 percent of self-identified "pro-life" voters - oppose pharmacies that refuse to fill birth-control prescriptions.
    
4. The Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act ("CARE": S.1264/H.R.2928) would ensure that victims of sexual assault are offered emergency contraception in the emergency room. Each year, approximately 25,000 women in the United States become pregnant as a result of rape. An estimated 22,000 of these pregnancies—or 88 percent—could be prevented if sexual assault victims had timely access to emergency contraception. Sponsored by Rep. Steve Rothman and more than 100 cosponsors, this legislation is bipartisan and garners widespread public support. Polls show that nearly 80 percent of American women want their hospitals – religious-affiliated or not – to offer emergency contraception to rape survivors.
    
5. Shockingly, some health-insurance plans cover prescription drugs but discriminate against prescription contraception. Consequently, women have to pay out-of-pocket for services that should be covered by insurance. Some women simply may not be able to afford it. The Equity in Prescription Insurance Contraceptive Coverage Act ("EPICC": S.1214/H.R.4651) would simply ensure that prescription birth control is covered equally with other prescription drugs. It’s been awaiting congressional action for nine years; it has more than 100 cosponsors and is bipartisan. Twenty-four states have enacted similar laws, as has Congress for federal employees. Don’t other American women deserve contraceptive equity too?
    
6. America has the highest teen-pregnancy rate of any developed Western country. Sponsored by Sen. Bob Menendez, the new Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Responsibility, and Opportunity Act (H.R.4644) would help tackle this problem by educating teens about their risk of pregnancy, teaching them about the significant responsibilities that come with parenthood, keeping them on track in school, and helping parents discuss tough topics – like sex – with their kids.
    
7. The number of military women who suffer sexual assault is shocking. Yet emergency contraception is not automatically available to servicewomen at overseas bases, so victims of rape – or servicewomen who simply need to back-up their regular birth-control method – may not easily be able to obtain the medication in time. Rep. Mike Michaud’s legislation, H.R.2635, would ensure that military health-care facilities stock EC and make it available to servicewomen and military dependents as part of the regular drug formulary on every base.
    
8. Finally, we call on President Bush to stop interfering in the FDA’s work and allow women to obtain emergency contraception without a prescription. It has real potential to reduce the need for abortion if taken soon enough after sex; why are we making it so hard for women to obtain?

Contact:
Ted Miller, 202.973.3032