Power

Illinois Congressional Republican Proposes Bill Defending Women’s Health After Voting Against It

Yes, Virginia, there is a pro-choice Republican. Maybe. Not really.

Robert Dold, after winning his election into Congress. [img src]

Some people wait for a phoenix to rise from the ashes. Others search the woods for a unicorn. But I’ve found my mythic creature, and his name is Robert Dold.

Illinois Congressman Robert Dold is a pro-choice, male Republican. And he just proposed a bill that actually defends women’s health.

Via The Hill:

Dold called the state decisions to pull funding “discrimination” against healthcare providers, but refused to criticize his party’s position.

“Access to to care shouldn’t be jeopardized simply due to discrimination … based on separate services that [providers] choose to offer,” he said.

Dold’s bill, the Protecting Women’s Access to Health Care Act, would “prohibit discrimination” in the awarding of funds under Title X, a federal grant program for family-planning organizations that was signed into law by former President Nixon.

A release noted that groups like Planned Parenthood provide abortion services with “non-Title X dollars.”

But don’t get too excited.  He may have proposed a bill to defend Planned Parenthood and help them continue to receive Title X funding, but he also voted to eliminate Title X funding all together.

“Congressman Robert Dold just introduced a bill to protect Title X funding that he previously voted to eliminate,” read an advisory from the [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee]. “Congressman Robert Dold has consistently sacrificed women’s health to push an extreme ideological agenda in line with the Tea Party and out of touch with Illinois families. Despite his attempt to paper over his record, Congressman Dold can’t hide his votes to terminate Title X funding and egregiously attack women’s access to life-saving procedures and preventative care.”

Ah, pro-choice Republicans. Why must it always be so complicated?