Pro-Choice advocates watched in horror on the evening of Saturday, November 7, 2009 as the Stupak/Pitts Amendment passed in the US House of Representatives. Speaker Pelosi allowed the vote on the amendment as a compromise. If the amendment passed, HR 3962 - the Health Care Reform bill - would also pass.
Prior to the vote, Pro-Choice organizations such as Planned Parenthood and NARAL reached out to their supporters via Facebook, Twitter and email to ask that people call their Representatives to urge them to vote NO on the amendment and on any bill that would include the amendment. If the amendment passed or the Health Care Reform Bill passed with the amendment attached, Roe v Wade would be circumvented leaving women without the right to choose due to lack of insurance coverage.
64 Democrats voted for the Stupak/Pitts Amendment that will severely limit a woman's right to reproductive health care choices. The 219 Democrats who voted for HR 3962, have equally done the same thing. While my Representative, Nita Lowey and maybe yours voted against the amendment, Rep. Lowey voted for the Health Care Reform bill - WHICH INCLUDES THE AMENDMENT. A YES vote on the Health Care Reform Bill is the same as voting for the amendment AND telling women they don't have the right to medical insurance coverage where reproductive health choices are concerned.
Do you want to know the names of the 39 Democrats who voted NO on the Health Care Reform Bill? Here's a link to a great Politics Daily Article
What about the names of the 64 who arbitrarily threw women under the bus and voted for the Stupak/Pitts Amendment? I've got that for you as well compliments of the Daily Koz
Women lost last night. Women were told by the elected officials we voted for that not only do we not matter to them, but that our well being is not in their best interest. At least that is what women are being told by the US House of Representatives. Now it is time to take action and let our Senators know how we expect them to vote, that we expect them to stand up for the rights of women and to do what Speaker Pelosi and her team could not accomplish because a compromise had to be made! Women will not stand for their rights to be compromised!
To that end, The Coat Hanger Crusade was created.
Over the years we have heard of people sending items, such as peanuts to heads of TV studios, to keep their favorite shows on. Why not send something to our elected officials that will remind them of a time long ago when women had to take matters into their own hands to obtain the abortions they so needed. Women should not need to be seeking out coat hanger abortions in back alleys or bathrooms.
Tomorrow I will go to my local dry cleaners and get some wire hangers. I will package them individually in padded envelopes and ship them off to my Senators as well as the President and his Senior Staff to encourage them all to work together to have a bill arrive for the President's signature that is comprehensive in scope but that does not, in any way, shape or form include the Stupak/Pitts Amendment. I plan to mail hangers to the 64 Representatives who voted for the Amendment as well.
Locally, I will be dropping off coat hangers to the district offices of my elected officials. This is not a time to say "someone else will fight for this." This is the time to stand up and fight for what is right. This is the call to action.
Do you need information on your Senator? Here is a listing from the US Senate and here is the suite and phone list.
If you are in Washington, DC can you get to your Senator's office and hand deliver a hanger? If you aren't in Washington can you get to your Senator's district office and hand deliver a hanger? Can you mail a hanger to your Senator's district or DC office? The more hangers we can send the louder our voices will be!
The next post will have a sample letter you can copy and paste into a word document (if you don't want to compose your own letter) to include with a hanger. If you have any questions or need additional information, please post a comment or email:
Coathangercrusade@gmail.com
You can also follow The Coat Hanger Crusade on twitter: www.twitter.com/coathngrcrusade
Thank you for standing up, fighting and joining the crusade!
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This is sickening. Especially since my Rep. was one of the 64 and my Senators are both Blue Dog Democrats. You can bet they'll all be not only getting letters but I will be haranguing their office staff especially since I have classes with a few of their interns.
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