January 22, 2008
Today marks the 35th anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark Roe v. Wade decision to protect a woman's right to privacy in her decisions regarding her reproductive health, including whether or not to have an abortion. This was not an easy decision nor one met without opposition on January 22nd 1973 or even today, thirty-five years later. On that day, however, women were granted a critical right protected by the Constitution to control their bodies, their health, and to access safe medical practices when needed. I am grateful to the coalition of women’s choice organizations like the National Organization for Women, EMILY's List, the Fund for the Feminist Majority, the Women's Campaign Forum, and individual members of NARAL and Planned Parenthood for their support and great work in continuing to fight for women’s reproductive rights in this country. We know that protecting a woman's right to make these private medical decisions improves outcomes for economic and educational attainment for women.
Since 1973, we have made dramatic strides in women’s health – from Sen. Mikulski’s fight to have women included in clinical trials and medical research at the National Institutes of Health to the creation of the Office of Women’s Health to the unfettered access to RU-486 and improved contraceptive devices. But we have a lot of ground left to cover. We need more federal funding for women’s health treatment and research, particularly in cancer research and heart health education. Coronary heart disease is the number one killer of American women each year, claiming more than deaths from breast cancer and lung cancer combined. Here in Maryland's 4th Congressional district we are facing some of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS infection in the state and the nation, especially among African American women. In addition to research and education, we desperately need more preventative care. Insurance companies should be required to cover prenatal care, childbirth, child care, breast and cervical cancer screening, mental illness and diabetes care and the full range of reproductive health options for women. We still have much to do to improve health outcomes for African American women -- more specialized research, education and prevention. We must make health services affordable and accessible to all, regardless of race, ethnicity, or economic status. And, we stand with our sisters throughout the world, especially in developing nations, who also deserve access to contraception and family planning.
On this milestone day, we commemorate the protections of Roe v. Wade even as we remain vigilant so as not to lose ground. We also continue the fight for women’s health, to ensure that every woman has access to the information they need and the care they deserve.
Bookmark/Search this post with:
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
