It’s been sad to watch the Republican Party, the party opposed to government intrusion into our lives, become increasingly associated with policies and ridiculous statements concerning women’s health.
It wasn’t always this way. The Republican Party has a history of strong leaders supporting family planning and reproductive rights.
In 1970, President Richard Nixon signed Title X, which authorizes federal funds for organizations like Planned Parenthood to provide family planning services. This program has been credited with changing the lives of millions of women and the economic future of our country.
Peggy and Barry Goldwater were strong supporters of Planned Parenthood.
And before he was President, Texas Congressman George H.W. Bush was such a strong proponent of family planning he earned the nickname “Rubbers.”
Unfortunately, Republicans today who support successful family planning programs that reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and teen pregnancies are often silenced by the few outspoken opponents who all too often make national news for outlandish statements that are deeply disconnected from the reality of women’s lives.
Fortunately, there are leaders like Colorado state Rep. Don Coram, who sponsored a bill to continue his state’s family planning program providing free IUDs to young women. IUDs, or intrauterine devices, can prevent pregnancy for three to 12 years, depending upon the type. Under the successful program, the teen birth rate in Colorado dropped 40 percent and the abortion rate among teens declined 34 percent.
In North Dakota, state Rep. Kathy Hawken opposed numerous extreme, restrictive bills attacking women’s health. She explained: “Like many of my Republican colleagues, I personally am pro-life. But we have gone over the line ….I call on my colleagues in North Dakota and in statehouses around the country to re-attune their focus. We need to make sure every American woman has access to the preventive health care she needs, including birth control, so she can avoid an unintended pregnancy and stay healthy. This is a policy priority that unites, rather than divides, Americans. And this is the policy priority that aligns with my Grand Old Party.”
In Maine, we have a proud history of Republican leaders from Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins to Gov. Jock McKernan, who signed the Reproductive Privacy Act into law. They have stood up for women’s health and often been the voice of reason in an increasingly out-of-touch national debate.
We have had strong leaders in the Legislature — men and women who have advocated for programs that have set our state on a course for success. Unintended pregnancy and abortion rates in Maine are now at historic lows thanks in part to their commitment to family planning.
In the present, we need leaders from both parties to stand in support of policies that work and oppose attempts to make it harder for women to get the services they need.
Right now the Legislature is considering two bills designed to make it harder for women to access safe and legal abortion. LD 1312 would give sweeping authority to the state to regulate health centers that provide abortions much like Texas, Mississippi and Alabama. Written by politicians, the bill will not improve women’s health. It is nothing more than an attempt to restrict access to family planning services and increase burdens for women seeking an abortion.
The other, LD 83, would repeal Maine’s Adult Involvement Law, which was developed by lawmakers from across the aisle, representing differing views on abortion who came together to develop an approach that encouraged parental involvement in a teenager’s decision to end a pregnancy. The policy was signed into law by McKernan and has been held up as a national model, ensuring that young women receive the support they need.
A survey earlier this year found that regardless of labels, an overwhelming majority of Americans want abortion to remain safe and legal. We believe getting an abortion should be a nonjudgmental experience informed by medically accurate information and without pressure or added burdens.
Maine doesn’t need laws like LD 83 and 1312. Instead, we need more Democrats and Republicans to work together to support policies that work and provide women with the health care they need to control their future and support their families.
Mark Ellis and Karen Stram are former chairs of the Maine Republican Party.