Pro-Choice Caucus Chairs Criticize Attempts to Use Appropriations Bill to Attack Women’s Health

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Reps. Louise Slaughter (NY-25) and Diana DeGette (CO-01), co-chairs of the House Pro-Choice Caucus, criticized attempts by the Republican majority to use the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act as a vehicle to attack women’s health. The Republican majority has included several ideological policy riders to the bill, including an amendment that would block the District of Columbia from implementing the Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Act. This bill was passed by the D.C. Council to protect against workplace discrimination stemming from an employee’s personal reproductive health care decisions.

“Ideological policy riders attacking women’s health have no place in this appropriations bill. This is an attempt by Republicans to undermine the appropriations process and attach extreme amendments that have no chance of becoming law as standalone proposals. One amendment would even make it easier for an employer in DC to fire an employee for making a private health decision like using in vitro fertilization or birth control. Women should be judged for how they do their jobs, not on their private health care decisions. This kind of political maneuvering is exactly what the American people have come to detest. We will continue fighting to protect the rights of women across the country at a time when they continue to be under siege in Congress, the Courts, and the campaign trail,” said Slaughter and DeGette. 

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