Washington, D.C. — This week, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) joined 60 of her House colleagues as an original cosponsor of the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2013 (H.R. 3471).
“Women across the country are losing access to critical health services due to unnecessary and unconstitutional state laws that restrict a woman’s right to choose,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “That’s why it’s so important for Congress to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act. Every woman should be able to exercise her constitutional right to make the best health care decisions for herself and her family, no matter what state she lives in.”
The Women’s Health Protection Act ensures women have access to safe, legal reproductive health services. It would protect a woman’s right to a safe and legal abortion by banning state regulations and laws that impose burdensome requirements on abortion providers, such as requiring doctors to perform medically unnecessary tests and procedures that do not further women’s health or safety, and that harm women by reducing the availability of the full range of reproductive services. Furthermore, the Women’s Health Protection Act directs courts to consider whether future laws interfere with women’s safe and timely access to care.
A companion bill in the Senate (S. 1696), is supported by 30 Senators, including California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer.
Issues: 113th Congress, Healthcare