Congressman Don Beyer to Speak Out in Support of Federal Women’s Health Protection Act at Community Event in Virginia

(MEDIA ADVISORY) Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA-8) will join community leaders, women’s health advocates, and other elected officials tomorrow in Arlington, Virginia to call for the passage of the Women’s Health Protection Act–federal legislation designed to enforce and protect the right of every woman to decide for herself whether to continue or end a pregnancy, regardless of where she lives.  The event—which is being sponsored by the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health—will provide attendees an opportunity to discuss current barriers to care when women are seeking safe and legal health care in Virginia and across the country.

Details

Women’s Health Community Event with Congressman Don Beyer

Confirmed Speakers:

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA-8)

Tarina Keene, Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia

Kat Olivera, Falls Church Healthcare Center

Representatives from the Center for Reproductive Rights &, the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health

Thursday, April 20 at 6P EST

Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington

4444 Arlington Boulevard|Arlington, VA 22204

RSVP here

“Virginia women deserve the same access to safe and legal abortion as women in any other state,” said Maya Rupert, Senior Director of Policy at the Center for Reproductive Rights.  “We commend Representative Beyer for standing up for women’s rights and look forward to working with him to ensure all women can get the care they need free from political interference.” 

The Women’s Health Protection Act was first introduced in the 113th Congress in November 2013 and debated before the Senate Judiciary Committee in July 2014.  It was then reintroduced in the 114^th session– garnering 36 sponsors in the Senate and 147 in the House.  The bill was reintroduced earlier this year with a total of 41 original sponsors in the Senate and 103 in the House of Representatives.      

Since 2011, politicians have introduced more than 2,300 restrictions on reproductive health care at the state level and more than 250 measures at the federal level.  The Women’s Health Protection Act would prohibit state and federal politicians from imposing restrictions on abortion care that apply to no similar medical care, interfere with women’s personal decision making, and block access to safe and legal abortion services.  Specifically, the measure would prohibit politicians from imposing a range of dangerous, anti-choice provisions on women seeking to end their pregnancies safely and legally.  Virginia women face a host of restrictions when they’ve made the decision to end a pregnancy safely and legally, including being subjected to a medically unnecessary ultrasound and a requirement forcing most women to make two separate trips to her health care provider before receiving safe, legal care.

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