Take Action Issues of Interest | Become an Advocate Issues of Interest Health Quarters has identified the following issues for action and support this year: FEDERAL Get the Facts the House Republicans Don't Want
You to Have Contrary to recent reports federal funding for family planning services makes sense. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) the Family Planning Medicaid Expansion would SAVE the federal government more than $200 million over 5 years. Below are facts to dispel the rumors and inaccuracies that have flooded America's airwaves and papers over the last few days. Myth: Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats want the government to spend $200 million for contraception for all Americans and abortion-on-demand.
Fact: Actually, federal funding for family planning saves taxpayers and the federal government money. Expanding access to counseling, sex education, contraception and preventive health screenings for low-income and uninsured women and families will benefit taxpayers. Publicly funded family planning services save taxpayers approximately $4.3 billion dollars in maternity and infant care costs every year, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Furthermore, expanded access to contraception reduces the need for abortion. Myth: Family planning supporters want to limit the number of births people have.
Fact: Voluntary access to family planning services allow health care providers to give low-income Americans tools to make their own family decisions. Family planning providers work to ensure that people have what they need to act responsibly, stay healthy and plan for strong families. This includes contraception, but it also includes counseling, sex education, STD screenings and referrals. To suggest anything else is a disservice to the American public. Take Action Now! Become an Advocate You can become an advocate for Health Quarters and reproductive health care in these ways: Join our advocacy network When you join, we’ll send you regular legislative updates and other news impacting HQ’s work plus alerts when we need to quickly mobilize our supporters. We will also provide you with messages and communication tips. You don’t have to be a “pro” to speak your mind! Call, email, or write your legislators A phone call is the more personal method of communicating with your legislator, although you will probably speak to an aide. Your message will get through, though, so be sure to get his/her name for follow-up calls. Emailing is another immediate way to make your views heard, while a letter provides valuable physical evidence of your contact. You are always free to write your own letter or email but often we will provide a letter you can send under your name. Meet legislators on your own or participate in HQ’s annual lobby day When you take the time to personally meet with your legislator (or aide), it shows that you are seriously concerned about reproductive rights. more >> When you sign up to be part of our advocacy network, you will have an opportunity to join staff of Health Quarters and other Massachusetts family planning agencies at our yearly winter/spring lobby day at the State House. A non-staffer can make a real impact in promoting our cause. Contact reporters to comment on stories or write letters to the editor Journalists appreciate hearing from their readers, so express congratulations for a story that hits the mark and challenge those that may be lacking a pro-contraception point of view. Letters to the editor take your opinion to a larger reading audience and attract community interest. Attend rallies Health Quarters can keep you posted by email regarding rallies and other mobilizations. Sign a petition As with rallies, Health Quarters will reach out to you for support when a submitting a petition can make an impact on legislators, either locally or nationally. Vote! Your vote does count. As we approach the coming presidential election, pay close attention to the candidates’ positions on reproductive rights. We’ll provide information to help you sort the rhetoric from the reality. US Senators and Representative Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D- MA)
202-224-4543 202-224-2417
http://kennedy.senate.gov/senator/contact.cfm Senator John F. Kerry (D- MA)
202-224-2742 202-224-8525
http://kerry.senate.gov/low/contact_email.html Representative John Tierney (D - 06)
202-225-8020 202-225-5915
http://www.house.gov/tierney/IMA/email.shtml
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