LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ®

of CONNECTICUT

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LWVCT Urges Sen. Dodd and Lieberman to Oppose Restriction On Coverage in the private health insurance market 11/19/09

 November 19, 2009

Hon. Joseph I Lieberman

Washington, DC

VIA FACSIMILE

Dear Senator Lieberman:

Members of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut are very concerned about the Stupak/Pitts amendment in the approved health care reform legislation passed by the US House of Representatives.

The LWVCT has been a long-time member of the state-level Coalition for Choice, which includes Planned Parenthood among the coalition members.  Along with the coalition, our members oppose the language of the Stupak/Pitts amendment which, if it becomes part of the final Health Care Reform Bill would restrict women’s access to abortion coverage in the private health insurance market, undermining the ability of women to purchase private health plans that cover abortion, even if they pay for most of the premiums with their own money. This amendment reaches much further than the Hyde Amendment, which has prohibited public funding of abortion in most instances since 1977. 

The more that 2,300 state-wide members of the League strongly support the notion that basic level of quality health care at an affordable cost should be available to all US residents. We welcome the congressional debate and exchange of ideas on this complex issue and understand that compromise is a necessary part of passing legislation. However, we believe that the Stupak/Pitts amendment is an unacceptable interference in the constitutional right of privacy of the individual to make reproductive choices.

We urge you to oppose the inclusion of this or similar language in the Senate bill and in the final version of the Health Care Reform legislation.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Jara N. Burnett                                                          Birgitta Longnecker

President                                                                  Reproductive Rights Specialist