xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx CHOICE-NET REPORT For Week ending May 7, 1994 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx CHOICE-NET REPORT is a (usually) weekly update on reproductive rights issues distributed through E-mail, Women's Wire, gopher.WELL.com, Usenet groups alt.activism, talk.abortion, soc.women, and other Internet channels. Please reprint, distribute and TAKE ACTION. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx NATIONAL WOMEN'S REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CALL-IN DAY WEDNESDAY MAY 18, 1994 What is National Women's Reproductive Health Call-In Day? The purpose of National Women's Reproductive Health Call-In Day is to demonstrate public demand for including coverage of women's reproductive health services in national health care reform. The idea is simple: on one specified day, Wednesday, May 18, people all across the country will call their US. Representatives and Senators with the message: Universal health care is not universal if it does not provide coverage for women's reproductive health, including family planning, contraceptive services, abortion services, pre- and post-natal care for all women. The day of calling will signal to Congress that women's reproductive health must be taken seriously during a critical point in their deliberations on national health care reform. This is particularly important to members of Congress who have not yet made a commitment to vote for a health care plan that provides coverage for reproductive health services. Why is this day necessary? Women's reproductive health services are at grave risk in health care reform. Although President Clinton proposed a plan that includes coverage for the full range of reproductive health services, the Religious Right and groups like Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition are mobilizing aggressively to take away that coverage. Pro-choice Americans must speak out on health care reform, or women will lose the coverage for abortion services and other services tat they have today. Who should I call? Call your Representative's and Senators' direct office lines, or call through the Congressional switchboard number at (202) 225-3121. You can locate their direct lines through their district office or a local pro-choice organization. I you don't know who your Representative or Senators are, you can call the switchboard number above, give them your zip code, and they will connect you with the correct office. My Congressmembers are pro-choice, why should I call? All too often pro-choice Congressmembers don't hear from supporters of reproductive health care. Than them an let them know that you want them to take a leadership position on this issue. What should I say on the call? Please use your own words...the important thing is to deliver the message to our Congressmembers that Health care reform is not universal if women aren't covered. and Pro-choice Americans want the full range of reproductive services, including abortion, covered as basic services in any health care reform package that passes Congress. What should I do if the line is busy? Keep calling. Our goal is to flood the offices with calls. Call your Congressperson's direct line! IT only takes 25,000 calls to jam the switchboard, so it's possible that you will get repeated busy signals if you call the main number. If your Congressperson's direct line is busy...try again later! You might also try locating their fax number to send your message in writing. What will the call cost? Clearly, it will vary depending on where you call from and your long distance carrier...but a 3 minute call from San Francisco to Washington, DC is only 81 cents! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Information Sources: California Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League-North, Alan Guttmacher Institute, Reproductive Freedom News, Culture Watch, 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 E-mail distribution list, please E-mail: dtv@well.com .