“The 21st Century Women’s Health Act is the right approach at the right time to improve and protect women’s health. This legislation would promote prevention and make it possible for more women to control their reproductive health and make their own health care decisions. We commend Senators Patty Murray, Barbara Boxer and Barbara Mikulski for championing this vitally important bill.

Right now, in Congress and the states, women’s health is under unprecedented attack. All across the country, lawmakers are advancing and passing ‘bad medicine’ laws that interfere with the relationship between women and their health care providers, and create barriers to women’s access to reproductive health care. The 21st Century Women’s Health Act, by contrast, would move health policy in the right direction, and we are especially pleased that it would study the ways restrictions on access to reproductive health services, including abortion, harm women. Understanding and reversing that trend is critically important if we are serious about improving women’s health in this country.

In addition, we applaud the provisions that would expand access to contraceptive coverage and primary care, improve maternal safety and quality of care, enhance services for survivors of rape, help women report inappropriate charges for birth control and other services, and increase awareness about women’s preventive services.

This legislation would improve women’s health and enhance our economic security. We urge Congress to make its passage a priority.”