(VIDEO) Sen. Gillibrand and NARAL New York Host Anti-Stupak Media Conference

Brady Swenson

Senator Gillibrand helped lead efforts to defeat the Stupak-Pitts amendment in Senate and continues to lead the effort to have the language removed before final passage of health reform. The Senator was joined by NARAL New York and Gloria Steinem at a media conference on November 16th.

The Stupak-Pitts amendment in the House health care reform bill will effectively ban abortion coverage in the new health system.

This amendment will dial back women’s access to abortion care far beyond the limitations that already exist under federal law by banning any plan purchased with a federal subsidy from covering abortion care, even making it largely impossible for women to use their own dollars to obtain abortion coverage.

On November 16, NARAL Pro-Choice New York stood alongside Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, City Council Speaker Chris Quinn, Gloria Steinem, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Councilmember Jessica Lappin, and other pro-choice advocates in opposing the Stupak Amendment:

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand:


New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn:

Feminist leader Gloria Steinem:

NARAL Pro-Choice New York President Kelli Conlin:

Read NARAL Pro-Choice New York’s statement condemning the Stupak-Pitts Amendment.

See more videos from the press conference.

Access to abortion faced a bitter fight in the House of Representatives, where our New York delegation held strong in admirably opposing Stupak-Pitts: with the exception of Peter King (NY-3) and Chris Lee (NY-26), both of whom voted for the insidious amendment, New York’s entire congressional delegation voted to oppose it.

Now, we have to put up the same resistance in the Senate. With your activism and support, pro-choice senators can still ensure that health care reform does not come at an unacceptably high cost to women. Here’s how you can get involved:

  • Save the date for our December 2 lobby day in Washington DC.

  • Phone bank with us on 11/17 and 11/19 as we try to activate pro-choice supporters across the country to oppose the ban on abortion funding. Join us in our office or remotely from anywhere across the state!

  • Email Senators Gillibrand and Schumer to ask them to stand firm against Stupak and similar restrictions in the new health care reform bill.

  • Call Senator Gillibrand at 202-224-4451 and Senator Schumer at 202-224-6542 to encourage them to continue to lead the charge against an anti-choice takeover of health care reform.