Respecting Choice is an informative and persuasive blog geared by the 82nd Texas legislative session. We focus on women's healthcare issues in the current political climate. This includes access to maternity rights, reproductive rights, and the policies that shape a woman's access to healthcare. This blog aims to alert the reader to current bills, activities, lobby efforts, scholarly articles, and news reports that impact the state of women's healthcare in Texas. This comprehensive assessment hopes to inspire the reader to discover his or her own voice in the midst of competing interests.

We respect the choice for women to access adequate healthcare if so desired. We also respect the reader's choice to form their own opinions. Therefore, please comment on our postings to share your ideas about these topic. We have included links to state representatives with background reports and analysis. We hope you pursue this opportunity to become more involved with the political process, however you see fit.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Finally Some Good News...Maybe

Weeks after the Texas House's Republican supermajority passed a budget bill stripping family planning of $60 million in funds, Sommer Ingram from the Associated Press reports that the Senate retaliates with a new budget proposal. The Senate budget is comprised of $11 billion more than the House's and appropriates an adequate amount to family planning.  The current Senate budget has been approved by the Finance Committee and the bill will be voted on later this week.  

Still, conservatives are sure to put up a fight. As leader of the House Democrats, Jessica Farrar says, "It's not about policy, it's not about women's health -- everything is about abortion for them." This comment is particularly poignant in the current political climate. There are a plethora of important women's health policies that should be discussed, but instead 95% of attention has gone to abortions. Ironically, less than 5% of clinics' services actually go towards abortions--not to mention 0% of government funds.

Hyper-focused ideologically influenced policy is a parasite sucking energy away from improving women's health on a national and local level.  With greater importance placed on the well-being of an unborn fetus than that of its mother, what happens when these children are born to women who have not had access to regular cervical, breast cancer, and STD screenings?  

Thank you Texas senators for supporting family planning and reproductive health!  

Updates will be coming soon on the voting outcome of the new Senate budget.

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