The Women of the Congressional Black Caucus Call on Senate Democratic Women to Defend Reproductive Choice in the District of Columbia

For Immediate Release: May 3, 2011
Communications Director:  Stephanie L. Young o:  c: 

 

The Women of the Congressional Black Caucus Call on Senate Democratic Women to Defend Reproductive Choice in the District of Columbia

 

Washington, DC – Today, the women of the Congressional Black Caucus sent a letter to the Democratic women of the Senate praising them for their indispensible work in defeating the proposed defunding of Planned Parenthood in the Fiscal Year 2011 Continuing Resolution (CR), but expressing disappointment that the interests of low-income women in the District of Columbia were sacrificed in the process.

 

The CR reinstituted a rider that prohibits the District of Columbia from using its local funds for abortions for low-income women in fiscal year 2011. In the last Congress, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) secured the removal of this measure.  “Not only did this concession by Democrats violate our party’s long-standing support for reproductive choice and for the District’s right to self-government, it was unnecessary,” the CBC women wrote.  “As House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has noted, fifty-nine House Republicans voted against the CR.  This means 36 Democratic votes were needed to reach 218 votes for passage.”  As Congress begins the fiscal year 2012 appropriations process, the letter said, “it would be invaluable if you stated, early and publicly, your opposition to the inclusion of the D.C. abortion rider in the fiscal year 2012 appropriations bill.  This is perhaps the only way to keep it out of the bill after Democrats agreed to it in the CR.”

 

On Wednesday, the House will consider a sweeping anti-choice bill—H.R. 3, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act—that among other things, contains an unprecedented provision permanently barring the District of Columbia from spending its local funds for abortions, and, for purposes of abortion, defining the District of Columbia as part of the federal government. “The consideration of H.R. 3 on the House Floor could provide you an occasion to speak out against it and to note the D.C. provision as a special reason for your opposition,” the Members wrote. The letter is included in its entirety below.

 

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May 3, 2011

Dear Senators Boxer, Cantwell, Feinstein, Gillibrand, Hagan, Klobuchar, Landrieu, McCaskill, Mikulski, Murray, Shaheen, and Stabenow:

We, the women of the Congressional Black Caucus, write for two reasons.  First, we want to express our gratitude to you, the Democratic women of the Senate, for successfully blocking the Planned Parenthood rider from the final fiscal year 2011 continuing resolution (CR).  The rider was an attack on the health and lives of all American women, especially women of modest means.  The public conditioning of your support for the CR on the exclusion of the rider made the critical difference.  We agreed with your strong position, which showed the country that you would not abandon women in a tough fight.  Although our party is in the minority in the House, we are ready to join with you to defeat future Republican attacks on women’s health.

However, we are deeply disappointed that low-income women in the District of Columbia were sacrificed during the CR negotiations. The Administration and Senate Democratic Leadership agreed to re-impose a rider prohibiting the District government from spending its own localtaxpayer-raised funds on abortions for low-income women.  The poor women in the District have already begun to feel the terrible effects of the rider.  Abortions are time-sensitive, and scores of women scheduled for District-funded abortions at a Planned Parenthood clinic immediately had their appointments canceled. This paradox cannot be overlooked. Non-profits in the District, including the DC Abortion Fund which helps D.C. women pay for abortions, are desperately trying to raise funds to mitigate the harm done by the rider.

Not only did this concession by Democrats violate our party’s long-standing support for reproductive choice and for the District’s right to self-government, it was unnecessary. As House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has noted, fifty-nine House Republicans voted against the CR. This means 36 Democratic votes were needed to reach 218 votes for passage.  According to media reports, most House Republicans who voted against the CR did so because it did not cut enough spending, not because of the absence of the Planned Parenthood or of any other rider.  In fact, the CR was remarkably clean, with only four riders.  Only two were controversial, D.C. abortion and a new private school voucher program in the District.  It is no wonder that the District felt abandoned.

The D.C. abortion rider, as well as every other anti-home-rule rider, was removed during the last four years of Democratic congressional control. This was a historic first that could not have been achieved without your help.  As the fiscal year 2012 appropriations process begins, we believe it would be invaluable if you stated, early and publicly, your opposition to the inclusion of the D.C. abortion rider in the fiscal year 2012 appropriations bill. This is perhaps the only way to keep it out of the bill after Democrats agreed to it in the CR.  Such a statement would not only help in fiscal year 2012, it would discourage House Republicans from escalating their attacks on women in the District, which are already underway.

An odious anti-choice bill, H.R. 3 (the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act), is due on the House floor this week. It would make the D.C. abortion rider permanent.  Although we know you will not allow H.R. 3 to pass in the Senate, House Republicans may feel emboldened to bring up a permanent D.C. abortion ban as a stand-alone bill or to attach it to another bill. The consideration of H.R. 3 on the House floor could provide you an occasion to speak out against it and to note the D.C. provision as a special reason for your opposition. You could also use this opportunity to indicate your opposition to a D.C. abortion rider in the fiscal year 2012 appropriations bill.

District women have no vote in Congress and no representation in the Senate.  The city’s low-income women need the support of women in Congress who not only have a vote, but who have also shown they will stand with women everywhere.

Sincerely,

Barbara Lee                                                                 Eddie Bernice Johnson
Member of Congress                                                   Member of Congress

 

Karen Bass                                                                  Corrine Brown
Member of Congress                                                  Member of Congress

 

Donna Christensen                                                      Yvette Clarke
Member of Congress                                                   Member of Congress

 

Donna Edwards                                                           Marcia Fudge
Member of Congress                                                   Member of Congress

 

Shelia Jackson Lee                                                      Gwen Moore
Member of Congress                                                   Member of Congress

 

Laura Richardson                                                        Maxine Waters
Member of Congress                                                   Member of Congress

 

Terri Sewell                                                                   Frederica Wilson
Member of Congress                                                   Member of Congress

 

Cc:       President Barack Obama
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi

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