Update on birth control pricing

Thanks to people who took action around the country, Congressman Crowley (D-NY) introduced the Prevention through Affordable Access Bill (H.R. 4054), last week with 103 cosponsors! This important bill would fix the problem of skyrocketing birth control prices for college students and low-income women.

Now Senator Obama is circulating a dear colleague letter to prepare for introducing similar legislation in the Senate.

Please urge Senator Durbin to become a cosponsor of this legislation!

As you know from prior posts on this issue, on some college campuses, birth control has gone from $5 or $10 to $40 or $50 dollars because of an inadvertent act of Congress. Some college health centers have stopped providing birth control at all. This pricing affects over 3 million college students and 750,000 low-income women and is having a devastating impact on women and families nationwide.

Fixing this problem doesn't cost Congress or taxpayers a dime, but will allow university health centers and safety net providers to offer affordable birth control to women who need it.

Technorati tags: Barack Obama, Dick Durbin, affordable birth control, Planned Parenthood Action Illinois

Sen. Barack Obama's statement on our center

We just got this great statement in from our Senator!

STATEMENT ON THE PLANNED PARENTHOOD FACILITY IN AURORA

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today released the following statement on Planned Parenthood's decision to open a new facility in Aurora, Illinois:

"I fully support Planned Parenthood's desire to open a new facility in Aurora. Planned Parenthood will provide a valuable and necessary service to the Aurora community, which has seen an increase in the uninsured population, as well as an increase in sexually transmitted disease rates. The proposed center will serve the growing population in a part of the state where access to a full range of reproductive health care services is lacking. Every day the health center is not open, more women go without critical services such as pap tests, contraceptive care, cancer screening, and breast exams."

"I hope the investigation by city officials into the permit process can be concluded as quickly and fairly as possible, so that this important facility can begin its operations."