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After a long and frustrating national debate last year over coverage for women's reproductive health in the health care reform law, a compromise was struck – one that set an additional onerous burden on women, but did not outright eliminate woman's ability to access often critical health services. Now, almost a year after the debate finally ended, members of Congress want to reopen the discussion and go even further toward chipping away at women's health care options.

Sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), H.R. 3 would punish private employers who provide health care for their workers if their plans cover abortion services. The bill would also prohibit women from using pre-tax flexible spending accounts for reproductive health care.

But that's not all. The bill takes an even more dangerous approach to attacking women's health. For decades, women who require abortion services have been denied federal assistance in paying for these services under the Hyde Amendment. However, there has always been some narrow, common ground: exceptions were made for women who could die from carrying a fetus to term, or who had been the victims of incest or rape.

Smith's bill would change that. H.R. 3 narrows the exception to cover only those women who had been "forcibly" raped and only minors who have been the victim of incest.

This is unacceptable. Rape is, by definition, a forcible and violating act, as is incest -- no matter the way in which it is done or at what age. For Smith to propose such changes reflects a truly horrifying belief that women and girls who are raped with the use of drugs and alcohol or who are statutorily raped (and not through physical violence) "weren’t really raped."

Faced with a wave of national outrage and disgust, Smith's office has said the bill would be corrected to eliminate these changes, but as of yet, H.R. 3 still includes this disturbing language about so-called "forcible" rape. And still, the bill carries over 150 co-sponsors.

It is time to send a message to the House of Representatives: You promised jobs and a stronger economy -- why are you wasting time attacking women’s health care options?

Take Action!

Urge your Senator to vote NO on H.R. 3, the bill that would further strip away women's access to necessary health care!

Click on the "Take Action" link in the upper right hand corner to send a message to your senators.

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