By a vote of 56-43 the Senate confirmed Priscilla Owen, an anti-choice judicial activist from Texas, to a lifetime position on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

House Republican leaders refused to allow debate or votes on two amendments that would have provided compassionate health care to military women who’ve been raped. The first would have ensured that the morning-after pill, ordinary birth control pills that can prevent pregnancy after sex or assault, is made available to servicewomen at every military base. The second amendment would have allowed women to use their military health insurance for abortion care in cases of rape or incest. Given that sexual assaults against servicewomen rose 25 percent in 2004, it's appalling that anti-choice lawmakers refused to allow these amendments to even come to a vote.

Military women were also yet again denied the right to access abortion care at military facilities overseas when the House defeated an amendment to repeal a ban that forbids servicewomen and female military dependents from using their own money to pay for an abortion at overseas military hospitals.

The right wing, anti-choice majority of the state legislature is continuing to chip away at the health care options available to Ohio women!

State Rep. Michelle Schneider (R-Cincinnati) has introduced legislation to prevent public hospitals in the state from performing abortions. The only exception would be when the woman's life is in danger.

Otherwise, abortions at public hospitals would be illegal for victims of rape and incest, for women carrying severely disabled fetuses, for women who become pregnant when contraception fails and cannot provide for another child in the family, and for all other circumstances.

Also, if many state and local government workers want coverage for abortion care, they will be forced to pay the additional premium and all other costs associated with this coverage. That's because House Bill 239 would make it illegal to use public funds to pay for any insurance plan that provides coverage for abortions that are performed other than to preserve the life of the mother.

This bill comes on the heels of House Bill 228 that seeks to ban all abortions in the state of Ohio.

House Bill 239 has recently been assigned to the House Health Committee. Hearings on this bill could begin as early as next Wednesday morning.

Please take a moment to call members of the House Health Committee and ask them to OPPOSE House Bill 239.

If you live near one of the committee members, please call them at their district number.
If you live in the Columbus area, please call their Statehouse offices.
If you are unable to call them directly, please call the toll-free legislative hotline (1-800-282-0253) and leave a message for each member of the Health Committee.
TELL THEM that politicians have no business prescribing health care.

TELL THEM that House Bill 239 will unnecessarily endanger women's lives.

TELL THEM to oppose House Bill 239 and, instead, support Planned Parenthood in our efforts to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies.
If you contact them at home or at their office, please let us know what response they give you.




HOUSE HEALTH COMMITTEE MEMBERS
NAME
DISTRICT PHONE
STATEHOUSE
PHONE
D/R
HOME

COUNTY
Barrett, Catherine L.
513/681-0050
614/466-1645
D
Cincinnati
Hamilton
Beatty, Joyce
614/253-6443
614/466-5343
D
Columbus
Franklin
Brown, Edna
419/243-1415
614/466-1401
D
Toledo
Lucas
Combs, Courtney
513/984-5258
614/644-6721
R
Fairfield
Butler
DeBose, Michael
216/751-8073
614/466-1408
D
Cleveland
Cuyahoga
Fessler, Diana M.
937/845-8428
614/466-8114
R
New Carlisle
Clark
Harwood, Sandra
330/652-5808
614/466-3488
D
Niles
Trumbull
Hoops, James M.
419/592-2683
614/466-3760
R
Napoleon
Henry
Kearns, Merle Grace
937/323-1581
614/466-2038
R
Springfield
Clark
Martin, Earl
440/933-3213
614/644-5076
R
Avon Lake
Lorain
Mason, Lance
216/491-8622
614/466-5441
D
Shaker Heights
Cuyahoga
Otterman, Robert J.
330/733-8254
614/644-6037
D
Akron
Summit
Peterson, Jon M.
740/369-6168
614/644-6711
R
Delaware
Delaware
Raussen, Jim[1]
513/674-7281
614/466-8120
R
Cincinnati
Hamilton
Reidelbach, Linda
614/885-1611
614/644-6030
R
Columbus
Franklin
Schneider, Michelle G.[2]
513/271-0908
614/644-6023
R
Cincinnati
Hamilton
Seaver, Derrick
419/628-2445
614/466-1507
R
Minster
Auglaize
Smith, Geoffrey C.
614/487-6050
614/644-6005
R
Columbus
Franklin
Smith, Shirley A.[3]
216/761-6682
614/466-7954
D
Cleveland
Cuyahoga
Webster, Shawn N.
513/868-6221
614/644-5094
R
Hamilton
Butler
White, John J.[4]
937/434-4473
614/466-6504
R
Kettering
Montgomery
Widowfield, John
330/928-3353
614/466-1177
R
Cuyahoga Falls
Summit