Bush's Attack on Women’s Health Is Bad Medicine

Read The New York Times summary of Bush's latest attack on women's health in the November 18, 2008, article “Protests Over a Bush Rule to Protect Health Providers”.

• Women's Health Organizations Urge Oversight Agency to Hold Bush Administration Accountable (11/18/2008)
• Planned Parenthood: The Opposition Is Overwhelming But Will the Administration Listen? (09/27/2008)
• 65,000 Voices Strong: Planned Parenthood Supporters Tell Bush Administration to Stop Its Attack on Women's Health (09/23/2008)
• Planned Parenthood Federation of America Statement in Response to the New HHS Regulation Impacting Women's Health (8/21/2008)
• Planned Parenthood: HHS Secretary Leavitt Blogs, But Misses the Point (8/08/2008)
• Planned Parenthood Joins 56 Other Organizations in Opposing Draft HHS Rule (07/22/2008)
• Planned Parenthood Joins Senator Hillary Clinton and Congresswoman Nita Lowey in Criticizing Bush Administration Plan on Women’s Health (07/18/2008) 
• Planned Parenthood: Proposed HHS Rule Would Compromise Women's Health Care (7/15/2008)

Already, the public has reacted strongly in opposition to a previous similar draft HHS rule. Members from professional community groups across the country drafted letters urging HHS Secretary Leavitt to reject that rule. These groups include

Medical Professionals

• Letter from American Medical Association and other medical groups
• Letter from Women’s Health Organizations to U.S. Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
• Letter from a coalition of medical, public health, religious, advocacy, and research groups
• Letter from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
• Letter from the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Letter from medical organizations

Clergy

• Clergy Advisory Board Statement in Opposition to Proposed HHS Rule
• Letter from clergy members and religious groups

Members of Congress

• Letter from members of the United States Senate
• Letter from members of the United States House of Representatives 
• Letter from Republican members of Congress
• Letter from House Committee on Government Oversight and Reform Chairman Henry Waxman to HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

• Letter from EEOC Office of Legal Counsel
• Letter from EEOC Commissioners

Governors

• Letter from Washington Governor Christine Gregoire
• Letter from Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich
• Letter from Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell
• Letter from Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell
• Letter from Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle
• Letter from Ohio Governor Ted Strickland
• Letter from Maine Governor John Baldacci
• Letter from New York Governor David Paterson
• Letter from Iowa Governor Chet Culver

Attorneys General

• Letter from coalition of 13 attorneys general
• Letter from Massachusetts attorney general
• Letter from Illinois attorney general

State Agencies

• Letter from California Department of Health
• Letter from Ohio Department of Health

Newspapers across the country ran editorials and columns criticizing the proposed rule:

• Associated Press: States, medical groups oppose abortion rule
• Austin-American Statesmen: EDITORIAL: Leavitt should drop proposed health care rule
• Bloomberg: Doctors Who Refuse Abortions Shielded by U.S. Plan (Update2)
• Charleston City Paper: Bush attacks abortion access
• Courier-Journal: 'Politically motivated' attack on women's health
• Delaware Online: Job exceptions for health workers would deny care
• Des Moines Register: Oppose change that puts reproductive rights at risk
• The Detroit News: Keep the choice in hands of patients
• Honolulu Star Bulletin: Gathering Place: Proposed rule an assault on women’s health care
• Indiana Statesmen Editorial: A STEP TO THE LEFT
• LA Times Blog: Bush administration unveils new abortion regulation
• Reuters: Health officials stops short of defining abortion
• Seattle Times Editorial: Bush administration proposal is an attack on reproductive health
• Staten Island Advance: An agency's end-run around Roe v. Wade; The Bush administration hopes to accomplish by fiat what it could not in Congress and the Supreme Court
• The Times Picayune: An attack on women's health
• Wall Street Journal: Rules Let Health Workers Deny Abortions Regulation's Effect On Contraception Remains Unclear
• Washington Post: Protections Set for Antiabortion Health Workers Opponents Denounce Proposed Regulation Allowing Federal Officials to Pull Funding