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| February 20, 2007 | |||||
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Thank you for taking action last week on S. 358, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. Unfortunately, the bill was reported favorably out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and is now one step closer to a vote on the Senate floor. The House is now considering similar legislation, H.R. 493. The same dangerous loophole in S. 358 that harms women and families also exists in H.R. 493. H.R. 493 is meant to stop health insurance providers from discriminating against a patient based on genetic information. For example, a health insurance provider may want to deny coverage to a person whose genetic information displays a high likelihood of developing cancer. How does the loophole affect women and children? The bill does not cover unborn children or children who are in the process of being adopted. Thus, if a pregnant woman finds that her unborn child has a genetic defect (like Down Syndrome), she may be refused coverage by her insurance company or employer. She may even be pressured to have an abortion. Or, if a couple is seeking to adopt a disabled child, they could lose their health insurance or face pressure from their employer to abandon the adoption. There are Congressmen working hard to close this loophole, but they need your help and your thanks. Representative Tim Walberg (R-Michigan) offered an amendment in the House Education and Labor Committee that would have closed the loophole. It failed by a vote of 20-27. Please thank Rep. Walberg and the members of the Education and Labor Committee who voted in favor of the amendment.
There are two more chances to close the loophole in H.R. 493. Both the House Ways and Means and the Energy and Commerce committees have jurisdiction over the bill. Please encourage the members of these committees to fix the dangerous loophole in H.R. 493, before the bill is considered on the House floor. Thank you for your support and action! Action Items:
Dear Representative/Senator, As a member of Concerned Women of America, I ask you to pay close attention to H.R. 493/S. 358, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Ban, which contains a dangerous loophole that harms women and children in the process of being adopted. While the bill seeks to stop health insurance companies from discriminating against clients based on their genetic information, the bill does not protect unborn children or children in the process of being adopted. Thus, a mother whose unborn child tests positive for Down Syndrome may be encouraged to get an abortion, or may be denied health insurance coverage altogether. The loophole also puts at risk couples who may want to adopt disabled children; those who do so may risk losing their job or their health insurance. Pregnant women and adoptive parents should not face retribution on the basis of their family-building choices. I urge you to act swiftly to ensure that this dangerous loophole is closed in the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (H.R. 493/S. 358). Thank you. Sincerely, [Your Name Here]
Sincerely, The Legislative Department P.S. As always, we thank you for also considering CWA for your strategic financial support. With you, we're fighting on key issues like "gay marriage," abstinence, pornography and abortion. We need you. If you can help us today, please go to http://www.cwfa.org/support_cwa.asp and enter your most generous donation.
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