National Organization for Women-NYS Demands that US Senators Vote NO on Entire Health Care Reform Package

ALBANY, NY (11/08/2009)(readMedia)-- In an effort to placate anti-choice Democrats, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Obama have allowed passage of a very dangerous amendment to the Health Care Reform Package.

The National Organization for Women-NYS President Marcia Pappas is "stunned with passage of the Stupak Amendment, which would ban the public health insurance option from funding abortion, and also ban any private plan operating within the exchange from funding abortions."

Pappas said the amendment "throws women under the bus, as it will block even private insurance plans from funding abortion care. It will block women from getting insurance for legal medical procedures with premiums paid in their own personal funds."

Pappas added that, "while feminists were willing to support Health Reform lacking a single-payer system, extending the Hyde Amendment's prohibition of abortion-funding to private plans is the most repulsive and unacceptable action." Pappas concludes: "Unless the Senate bill is Stupak-free, NOW-NYS will oppose the final legislation and will indeed oppose the Democrats who sabotaged women."