CHOICE-NET REPORT is a weekly update on reproductive rights issues distributed through Women's Wire, the WELL gopher, Usenet groups alt.activism, alt.abortion, soc.women, and other Internet channels. Please reprint, distribute and TAKE ACTION. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx THE CHOICE-NET REPORT For Week ending January 29, 1994 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx JUST SAY NO TO COOPER/BREAUX This week, conservative politicians and pundits offered the media and the American public an alternative to the Clinton Health Care plan. Their solution, known as the "Cooper/Breaux" bill, is a no-reform proposal crafted by Representatives Jim Cooper of Tennessee and Senator John Breaux of Louisiana, both Democrats. Cooper/Breaux would encourage employers to provide insurance to employees, but would not require it. Reproductive Health Care is nowhere to be seen in this bill. In a letter circulated to more than 300 members of Congress, 40 of the nation's leading medical, women's, religious, and pro-choice organizations (list available on request) urged lawmakers to withhold or withdraw support from the Cooper/Breaux bill (HR3222/S1579). They point out that the plan fails to establish a guaranteed benefits package and fails to adequately address people's most basic health needs. The group also strongly opposes Rep. Cooper's suggestion that abortion be excluded from the benefits package and made the subject of an insurance rider. This would mean women would have to have the foresight to take out a special insurance policy for an unintended pregnancy. Will all women who take birth control pills have to pay for an additional insurance rider on the 2% chance that their birth control pills will fail? This is not only unworkable, but is truly laughable. Women's basic health care includes reproductive health care. Period. So far, no Congressmember has come up with a serious health care reform proposal that guarantees private, uninterruptable insurance to every American and emphasizes preventative care, as the Clinton plan does. Bob Dole did serious damage to his party's credibility when he declared this week that "we don't have a health care crisis." The Cooper/Breaux plan is not a workable compromise as it clearly does not cover all Americans, and will not provide comprehensive benefits. Cooper/Breaux co-sponsors who need to receive letters asking them to withdraw their support from the bill include: Michael Andrews (D-TX), John Dooley (D-CA), Steve Horn (R-CA), Jimmy Quillen (R-TN), and Synar (D-OK) Write to: The Honorable (First & Last Name), House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: 202-225-3121 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Call the Legislative Status Office at 202-225-1772 to find out hearing dates and bill status. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx SENATE COMMITTEE MEMBERS NEED PEN PALS The following Senate Committee members really need to hear from you. Write a letter and let them know that you want real health care reform, you want universal access, emphasis on preventative care and the full range of reproductive health care. If they don't hear from you, they may choose to listen to the expensive insurance company lobbyists they see every day. Senate Finance Committee Chair--Daniel Moynihan (D-NY) Senate Finance Committee Members--Democrat: Max Baucus (MT), David Boren (OK) Bill Bradley (NJ), George Mitchell (ME), David Pryor (AR), Donald Riegle (MI), John Rockefeller (WV), Thomas Daschle (SD), John Breaux (LA), Kent Conrad (ND). Republicans: Bob Packwood (OR), Robert Dole (KS), William Roth (DE), John Danforth (MO), John Chafee (RI), Dave Durenberger (MN), Charles Grassley (IA), Orrin Hatch (UT), Malcolm Wallop (WY). Senate Labor & Human Resources Committee Chair--Edward Kennedy (D-MA) Senate Labor & Human Resources Members--Democrat: Claiborne Pell (RI), Howard Metzenbaum (OH), Christopher Dodd (CT), Paul Simon (IL), Tom Harkin (IA), Barbara Mikulski (MD), Jeff Bingaman (NM), Paul Wellstone (MN), Harris Wofford (PA). Republicans: Nancy Kassebaum (KS), James Jeffords (VT), Dan Coats (IN), Judd Gregg (NH), Strom Thurmond (SC), Orrin Hatch (UT)< Dave Durenberger (MN). Write to: The Honorable (First & Last), United States Senate, Washington D.C., 20510. Phone: 202-224-3121. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx WELFARE REFORM...in 1994?! Senate Finance Committee Chair Patrick Moynihan (D-NY), much to the delight of many Republicans, has called for the passage of Clinton's promised welfare reform package THIS YEAR, along with the Health Care Reform package. Clinton's prefers to pursue Health Care this year and Welfare Reform next year. Pro-choice activists could find that fighting for the full range of reproductive choices on both fronts at the same time will spread our energies too thin. Just winning a decent Health Care Reform package will be a miracle, given the log-jam mindset of many in Congress. Rushed and flawed welfare reform is not good for anyone. Call your Congresspeople and urge them to slow down with welfare reform and get it right. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Seventeen million women in the U.S. had no health insurance from any source in 1992. Most women do not have coverage for preventative care such as mammography and pap smears. Fourteen million women of reproductive age have no coverage for maternity care. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Information Sources: California Abortion Rights Action League-North, Alan Guttmacher Institute, Reproductive Freedom News, various Congresspersons, various newspapers, C-Span, CNN, AP, and UPI. Editor: Kathy Watkins, Administrative Director, CARAL-North If you wish to be added or deleted from the email distribution list, please email: dtv@well.sf.ca.us .