[Sosfbay-discuss] [Fwd: [ProChoiceOrNoChoice] Save Birth Control Now: Call Representatives Reid and Pelosi Today]

[Jim Stauffer]

     *Call Majority Leader Reid and Speaker Pelosi to help save birth
     control now — not next year!*

     How long would you put up with prices like these — a 900% increase?

     Congress can either fix the problem with birth control prices now,
     or they can put it off until next year.

     *Now means NOW! Call Majority Leader Reid and Speaker Pelosi TODAY at
     800-965-4701*

     Thanks to your help, 136 representatives and 28 senators have gone
     on record saying that birth control should be made affordable for
     the low-income women and students affected by the recent price hike.
     So far, so good, right?

     But the thing is -- birth control isn't very helpful when you take
     it 11 months late. Women need access to birth control NOW. You know
     it, we know it -- but the congressional leadership, Majority Leader
     Reid and Speaker Pelosi, needs one more push from you to make sure
     this gets done before Congress closes up shop for the holidays.

     Right now, leaders in Congress are pushing to adjourn this session
     as soon as possible. If Congress goes home without fixing this
     mistake, millions of women will have to wait until 2008 for
     affordable birth control -- we must tell Congress that's unacceptable.

     Here's how you can make sure Majority Leader Reid and Speaker Pelosi
     use their leadership to ensure this problem is fixed before the end
     of the year.

        1. Call Majority Leader Reid and Speaker Pelosi by dialing
           800-965-4701 and asking for their offices.

        2. Identify yourself as a pro-family planning voter.

        3. Ask to leave messages for Majority Leader Reid and Speaker Pelosi.

     Say something like this:

     "I want to thank Majority Leader Reid / Speaker Pelosi for his/her
     support for family planning. It's crucial that Congress address the
     birth control pricing crisis and restore affordable birth control
     before adjourning. I urge the Majority Leader / Speaker to ensure
     that the problem is fixed in the Medicare bill -- and that
     affordable birth control is restored before Congress goes home for
     the holidays."

     One question puts this issue in crystal-clear perspective: What if
     Congress passed a law that made the price of your groceries go up by
     900 percent? There would be an instant uproar ...

     rioting in the streets ...

     ... And you can bet the problem would be fixed, pronto.

     Well, Congress passed a law that did the same thing to the cost of
     birth control -- making birth control prices skyrocket to
     unaffordable levels for millions of college students and low-income
     women -- and Congress hasn't done a thing to fix this mistake. Even
     so, it's not too late to save birth control.

     Here's a look at our progress so far:

     :: Earlier this month, you and thousands of other Planned Parenthood
     supporters wrote to Congress and demanded support for the Prevention
     Through Affordable Access Act.

     :: Since then, 164 members of Congress have pledged their commitment
     to save birth control. And that's excellent. Now we need the
     pro-family planning leadership to ensure that this problem is fixed
     before the end of the year.

     This is our plan, but the power of your voice today is what can make
     our efforts that much more effective. All it will take is for
     Congress to pass this fix immediately to make birth control more
     accessible to millions of women who need it.

     Please call Senator Majority Leader Reid and Speaker Pelosi TODAY at
     800-965-4701.

     Thank you in advance for taking the time to help us make birth
     control available to ALL women who need it. Your actions aren't just
     sending a message to Congress -- they're sending a powerful message
     of support to every woman who is struggling to cover the cost of her
     birth control.

     Sincerely,


     Cecile Richards
     President, Planned Parenthood Action Fund