From Feminist Daily News (emphasis is mine):

The Mississippi House approved an anti-abortion bill last week that would further restrict abortions in the state, and possibly violate federal privacy laws. According to the Clarion Ledger, most members said they did not fully understand the measure when they voted to approve it. When state Rep. Bennett Malone (D) challenged members to raise their hands if they understood the bill, only about a half dozen of the 122 members did so, according to the Ledger.

The bill, HB 520, originally established penalties for falsely reporting child abuse. However, the Mississippi Senate added eight pages of changes, including provisions to allow parents or guardians to sue anyone who helps their pregnant minor obtain an abortion, and to require fetal tissue on abortions performed on minors under the age of 14 to be saved for DNA testing in order to identify the father.

According to the Daily Women’s Health Policy Report, Tom Head, secretary of the Mississippi chapter of the NOW, said the measure could endanger the lives of pregnant minors by “denying them confidential access to medical care.” Head stated, “I can understand the efforts to try to reduce the number of abortions, but this would threaten lives.”

The House voted against allowing more Senate/House negotiations over the bill, and the decision whether or not to send the bill to Governor Haley Barbour (R) rests with the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Willie Bailey (D). If Bailey does not send the bill, it will die when the House sessions ends April 19th, according to the Associated Press.

The U.S. Senate today passed U.S. Sen. David Vitters amendment prohibiting the use of federal Indian Health Service funds for abortions, except to save the life of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest of a minor. Read the rest of this article here.

Restricting women from having abortions is in no way going to prevent women from getting pregnant. It simply prevents them from having the means to pay for an abortion, thereby lowering their income status even more with the cost of another child. This has been proven over and over again – taking money away from reproductive health services is like putting a Bandaid on a slit wrist.

Anti-abortion extremists are trying to close down Dr. George Tiller’s clinic, one of the few remaining late term abortion providers in the country. Abortion is every woman’s right, and we cannot let those who are against the mere concept make decisions that could have dramatic and negative affects on the lives of a multitude of women. I urge you to learn more on the issue, and consider making a donation.

Read more here!

Hillary Clinton won the New York Primary yesterday, showing America that New York cares about choice.  While Choice Matters believes that both Obama and Clinton are pro-choice, Hillary has the voting record to prove it.

One of the biggest words in this campaign has been “Change.”  Voting for Clinton is voting for change – with the conservative right out of office, women’s health will take a front seat in the issues our country’s leadership cares about.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:CATHERINE LEDERER-PLASKETT

Tuesday, January 22, 2008 914-946-5363

WCLA – CHOICE MATTERS ENDORSES

SENATOR HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON FOR PRESIDENT

WCLA – Choice Matters is proud to endorse Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton for President today, January 22, 2008, the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

At a time when states across the country are proposing and passing laws that limit reproductive rights and some that immediately criminalize abortion should Roe v. Wade be overturned; at a time when the US Supreme Court has launched a direct attack on Roe v. Wade, by completely disregarding 30 years of legal precedent, and—for the first time ever—voting to uphold a ban nationwide on a medically safe and necessary abortion procedure—a ban that contains no exception for the health of a woman: we need a leader who counts women’s health among her top priorities.

Women need Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Hillary Rodham Clinton is the only candidate who has made women’s health a priority throughtout her entire public life. Her commitment to women’s health started long before she first ran for the US Senate.Whether it was the preservation of Title X the only program devoted solely to making comprehensive family planning services available to anyone interested in seeking them, the repeal of the Global Gag Order, comprehensive sex education funding to reduce teen pregnancies, or approval of Plan B, Senator Clinton has been there. She has not simply cast a vote. She has pursued each with tenacity and commitment.

Catherine Lederer-Plaskett, president of WCLA – Choice Matters, declared, “Senator Clinton has a track record of action, not simply votes. At a time when it is very possible that two more Supreme Court justices who support the Roe v. Wade decision may retire, it is more important than ever that we elect a president who considers women’s reporductive health a top tier issue. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is that person!”

Roe Vs. Wade was, as I’m sure all readers of this blog know, the landmark decision by the supreme court legalizing abortion in the United States. this decision brought to the forefront years of work by women who valued their bodies, their privacy, and their freedom of choice. Let’s not forget the work that went into getting us where we are today, and let’s make sure that we keep women’s health at the forefront by electing an administration that cares for women.

Also, here’s an interesting article on declining abortion rates and RU-486

This is just unreal.

A Missouri proposal targeted for the November 2008 ballot would make it an act of “medical negligence” to perform or refer someone for an abortion without first determining it is warranted to prevent death, serious injury or other health risks from the pregnancy. If not, it allows a woman who later regrets an abortion to sue the doctors or nurses for failing to screen her for risk factors, evaluate whether she was coerced into having the abortion or allow her 48 hours to reflect upon the information.

Read more about it