Let's Pick Up the Pace on Prevention First

March 5, 2007

Here at NOW, we've HAD IT! The Prevention First Act currently before the Senate (S.21) will provide family planning education and services, emergency contraception information for rape survivors, and reduce the need for abortions. Wouldn't you think that every pro-woman, pro-family, pro-choice Senator would be a sponsor? And shouldn't pro-family-planning (but anti-abortion) Senators have their names at the top of the sponsor list? You'd think so. But The Prevention First Act of 2007 (S.21), introduced by Senator Harry Reid (D-Nev.), currently has only around 20 sponsors.

It's time to increase the pressure on our Senators to cosponsor this critical bill. We must talk to our Senators who say they are pro-choice and those who say that abortions should be reduced and those who say that they are personally against abortions (as if they might need one) and demand that they cosponsor this bill. Only those who misguidedly profess that condoms are bad and who oppose birth control should be excused from cosponsoring this bill.

About The Prevention First Act: S. 21 provides compassionate treatment to sexual assault victims, medically accurate and comprehensive sex education and equal access to contraception and family planning services including insurance coverage. It requires all hospitals and emergency medical centers to provide emergency contraception information to rape survivors (and maybe one day we can have them provide EC as an option to the survivors as part of the medical regimen for treating sexual assault). Learn more about the bill.

If your Senators claim to care about the well-being of girls and women, if they support family planning and comprehensive health care, if they are genuinely concerned about reducing unintended pregnancies, abortions and sexually transmitted diseases, then they have no excuse for not co-sponsoring Prevention First (S.21).

Call your Senators, either at their D.C. or home office, and ask for the staff person who handles women's or health issues. Remind them that you are a constituent and that you aren't the only one in your state who supports comprehensive and preventative family planning. Ask your Senator to add his or her name as a co-sponsor to S. 21 "Prevention First" or ask for the reason why not — so that you can alert your friends, colleagues and coalition partners about the Senator's position. 

You can also send an e-mail to your Senators, and your Representative as well and get more information about the bill from the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association Fact Sheet (PDF).