Fw: TCWH--Brief wrap up from State Affairs Committee hearing

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Martha Murdock, DirectorNational Silicone Implant Foundation | Dallas Headquarters"Supporting Survivors of Medical Implant Devices"4416 Willow LaneDallas, TX 75244-7537

----- Original Message ----- From: Texas Campaign for Women's Health

Action Alert

Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2003 12:07 PM

Subject: TCWH--Brief wrap up from State Affairs Committee hearing

TCWH Update***********Please distribute widely**************Dear advocates,Right now I must run out to a board meeting of our organization, but I wanted to send a quick mini-report from last night's marathon House State Affairs Committee meeting. The State Affairs committee met yesterday around 3:30 pm to hear testimony on three bills. Twelve hours later, the committee adjourned, with all three bills left pending--yes, 3:30 am! First on the agenda was HB 15, a lengthy anti-choice bill by Corte (R-San ) which would in part require women seeking abortions to be told that there is an association between abortion and breast cancer. TCWH urged the committee to strike this language, as the most comprehensive studies have concluded there is no increased risk for breast cancer in women who have had an abortion. TCWH supports quality reproductive health care for all women who seek it. Likewise, we support the provision of medically accurate information on the full range of options available to enable women to make their own fully informed decisions about their reproductive health care needs.Several coalition partners sent letters in support of striking this requirement for the provision of false information. Your letters were delivered to the committee members.I think we have a fairly good chance of having that language stricken. Since the committee did not vote on the bill, there is still time to educate members about this provision.

What you can do RIGHT NOW!1) Send TCWH a letter expressing your support for removing the provision of HB 15 which would require women to be given medically inaccurate, scientifically unsound information. We will deliver coalition letters in a package for greater impact.2) Contact State Affairs committee members directly.Rep. Mike Villareal (D-San ) should be thanked for his advocacy on our behalf. Most of the members of this committee are anti-choice, but many seemed amenable to this particular little change in the bill. Toby Goodman and Glen were the other allies on the committee, and could be thanked for sticking out the night. The other members did not express a proclivity to support or reject our edit, so they can be contacted with further pleas.The State Affairs Committee includes the following members:Kenny Marchant, Chair, (512/463-0468) Jerry Madden, Vice Chair, (463-0544)Byron Cook (463-0730) (463-0734) Elkins (463-0722)Dan Gattis (463-0309)Toby Goodman (463-0562)Glen (463-0716)Mike Villarreal (463-0532)********************Lesley RamseyProject DirectorTexas Campaign for Women's Health905-A W. OltorfAustin, Texas 78704(512) 448-4857(512) 448-3373 fax