Clinton and Murray: "Hell No."

That's a paraphrase, but not much of one, of the press release issued by Senators Hillary Clinton and Patty Murray (D-WA) yesterday in response to the Bush administration proposal re: "conscience clauses" and redefining contraception as abortion.

"It is outrageous that the Bush administration is once again putting ideology over women's health. Instead of undercutting access to contraception and family planning services, the Bush Administration should put prevention first," said Senator Clinton.

"On the first day of his administration, the President reinstated the Mexico City global gag clause, a harsh, anti-family planning policy that hurt the world's poorest women and children. Now, on his way out the door it appears that he is trying to limit women's health care options here at home," Murray said. "This misguided attempt to restrict health care services and limit access to contraceptives defeats our common goal of reducing the number of abortions in this country."

The two Senators also sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services outlining their objections in no uncertain terms.

Secretary Michael O. Leavitt
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201

Dear Mr. Secretary:

It has come to our attention that the Department of Health and Human Services may be preparing draft regulations that would create new obstacles for women seeking contraceptive services.

One of the most troubling aspects of the proposed rules is the overly-broad definition of "abortion." This definition would allow health-care corporations or individuals to classify many common forms of contraception – including the birth control pill, emergency contraception and IUDs – "abortions" and therefore to refuse to provide contraception to women who need it.

As a consequence, these draft regulations could disrupt state laws securing women's access to birth control. They could jeopardize federal programs like Medicaid and Title X that provide family-planning services to millions of women. They could even undermine state laws that ensure survivors of sexual assault and rape receive emergency contraception in hospital emergency rooms.

We strongly urge you to reconsider these regulations before they are released. We are extremely concerned by this proposal's potential to affect millions of women's reproductive health.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely yours,
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
Senator Patty Murray

That's the way you fucking do it.

I haven't been able to find any statement from presumed Democratic nominee Senator Barack Obama. The only press release listed on his site yesterday, also the most recent press release, is about his new television ad.

This makes me unhappy.

My profound thanks, however, has been sent to Sens. Clinton and Murray for taking the lead on this obnoxious, retrofuck jackholery from the Bush administration. Perhaps you'd like to thank them, too:

Email Senator Clinton.

Email Senator Murray.

In case you want to do a quick cut-and-paste, here's the note I sent (just make sure to update the names based on to whom it's going):

Senator Clinton/Murray:

Thank you so much for your leadership, alongside Senator Patty Murray/Hillary Clinton, on the issue of reproductive choice. I profoundly appreciate the steps you're taking on behalf of women, especially as regards the Bush administration's latest attempts to redefine contraception as abortion.

Thank you for everything you do.

Best,
Melissa McEwan
Smalltown, IN

Let 'em hear ya. Teaspoons.