Blogs Comment On Bill To Block HHS Conscience Rule, Future Of Antiabortion Movement, Oklahoma Ultrasound Law

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology;  Sexual Health / STDs;  MRI / PET / Ultrasound
Article Date: 24 Nov 2008 - 9:00 PST

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The following is a summary of selected women's health-related blog entries.

~ "Sens. Clinton and Murray Introduce Legislation To Block New HHS Rule From Going into Effect," Emily Douglas, RH Reality Check: Planned Parenthood Federation of America announced Thursday that Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) have introduced legislation -- called the "Protecting Patients and Health Care Act" -- that would block implementation of the proposed HHS conscience rule, Douglas reports. The rule would require that "any health care entity that receives federal funds certify that none of its employees are required to assist with medical services they find objectionable," including abortion procedures and contraception. In a statement, Clinton said, "In the final days of his administration, the president is again putting ideology first and attempting to roll back health care protections for women and families." Diane Quest, PPFA spokesperson, said, "This legislation sends a strong message to administrative agencies that Congress is willing to act when agencies exceed their authority by going beyond the scope of existing laws and congressional intent." The regulations also are opposed by several physicians' groups, women's health groups, officials in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, President-elect Obama and more than 200,000 individuals who submitted comments against the rule, according to Douglas. The regulations also "appear to violate the Bush administration's own memorandum, which directed departments not to engage in 'midnight policymaking,' except in the case of exceptional circumstances," she writes, adding that the administration has not indicated why the HHS rule is considered an exceptional circumstance (Douglas, RH Reality Check, 11/20).

~ "Anti-Choicers Switching Up Strategy?" Feministing: Responding to a recent Washington Post article that detailed how some antiabortion advocates are focusing on reducing abortion rates through social programs -- rather than by overturning Roe v. Wade -- the blog entry notes that contraception has not been mentioned as a way to prevent abortions. The entry says that "increased health and child care opportunities for women are a great thing -- and frankly, it's about time the folks who blather on about fetuses start supporting social programs that actually help people -- but the best way to reduce the number of abortions is to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies. That means birth control." The entry adds that despite efforts by abortion-rights groups that have called on antiabortion groups "to support increased contraception access for a mutual goal of decreasing unwanted pregnancies ... anti-choicers continue to turn a blind eye. That's because reducing unwanted pregnancies isn't their goal, and they don't want women to realize that anti-choice groups don't support access to contraception" (Feministing.com, 11/19).

~ "Pro-Family, Anti-Baby?" ProLifeBlogs: The blog entry questions why antiabortion ballot measures in California, Colorado and South Dakota were defeated but measures in several states "restoring or defending the traditional definition of marriage" passed. According to the entry, while many voters "defended marriage -- and by extension, the family" -- a large number of the same voters did not support the antiabortion measures. The entry asks, "How can American be pro-family but anti-baby?" (ProLifeBlogs.com, 11/18).

~ "Oklahoma's Ultrasound Fantasy World," Amanda Marcotte, RH Reality Check: Although several states have laws mandating that a woman undergo an ultrasound prior to an abortion, an Oklahoma law (SB 1878) -- which would also require women to listen to a detailed description of an embryo or fetus -- is a "classic example of how the anti-choice stereotype of women as dumb bunnies who can easily be tricked into childbirth through sentimentality barely conceals a much more hostile, punishing view of women," Marcotte writes in the blog entry. She adds, "The justification for this law is the sentimental dumb bunny stereotype, but the practical effect is to make the abortion process as punishing as possible for the woman who has violated the sexual standards of the right-wing Christians who passed this law." Implementation of the Oklahoma law has been blocked until March, and Marcotte writes that the reason it has generated "even more outrage than these laws usually do" is because the ultrasound requirements are particularly patronizing. She writes, "When you get right down to it, laws like these are passed mainly by groups of men who have extremely low opinions of women, who literally think that the only reason women get abortions is that they don't know what being pregnant really means." Marcotte concludes, "In reality, as the Oklahoma law illustrates, ultrasound laws are based not in science, but in a fantasy world where women are stupid, doctors are deceptive and misogynist lawmakers are the saviors of women" (Marcotte, RH Reality Check, 11/20).

~ "Obama Selects Daschle To Head HHS," National Right to Life Committee blog: The blog entry says that Obama's choice of former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) for HHS secretary draws a "stark" contrast to current HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt, who "has been the driving force behind" a proposed rule that would allow health care providers who receive federal grants to opt out of care based on their moral or religious beliefs. The entry details Daschle's support during his time as a senator for bills that supported abortion rights and embryonic stem cell research. Daschle also "tried to help elect more pro-abortion Senate candidates," according to the blog, which adds that Daschle wrote a fundraising letter for NARAL Pro-Choice America (National Right to Life Committee blog, 11/20).

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