Our take

Everyday the government makes decisions that affect our lives; from the water we drink, the food our kids eat and how much money we bring home. Being informed is one of the first steps in building our power and creating change in our communities.

Huffington Post: Missouri’s New Waiting Period Law Is Already Driving Women To Seek Help Elsewhere

By Eleanore Wood | November 26, 2017

In late October, a bill was passed in Missouri that requires women to attend a state-mandated counseling session three days before having an abortion. This is one of the longest waiting periods in the country. Because of this waiting period, and the lack of abortion clinics in Missouri, women seeking abortion care are being forced out…

Billmoyers.com: By the Numbers: Abortion in the US

By Eleanore Wood | November 17, 2017

Despite the passage of Roe v. Wade 44 years ago, there has been an unsettling number of abortion restrictions in the United States that show just how much we must keep fighting for affordable and accessible abortion care. There has been more than 1,140 abortion restrictions since Roe v. Wade, showing that despite abortion being…

Indy Weekly: Nine of The Ten N.C. Republicans in the U.S. House Voted to Criminalize Abortion After Six Weeks of Pregnancy

By Eleanore Wood | November 9, 2017

The House discussed a bill that would effectively ban all abortions after 6 weeks. There are 169 cosponsors of this bill so far, and 9 of them are North Carolina Republicans. Even though this bill could pass the House, it is unlikely to pass the Senate. But that doesn’t mean we should ignore it; it…

Jezebel: A Quick Jaunt Through the Many Sexual Misconduct Allegations Swarming State Legislatures

By Eleanore Wood | November 7, 2017

In the past month, women in politics have been sharing their stories of sexual misconduct. Women have accused lawmakers from seven different states so far. The Kentucky House Speaker, who admitted to sending explicit messages to a staffer resigned from his leadership role, but has not yet resigned from his seat in the legislature. A…

Jezebel: At 6-Week Abortion Ban Hearing, Steve King Narrated a Sonogram

By Eleanore Wood | November 3, 2017

Wednesday, the Constitution and Civil Justice subcommittee held a hearing regarding the Heartbeat Protection Act, an act that would effectively ban all abortions after 6 weeks. This bill would ban abortions once a heartbeat is detected, which thanks to modern technology, is often at 6 weeks. Many women don’t even know they’re pregnant at 6…

Rewire: Five Things to Know About Congressional Republicans’ Total Abortion Ban

By Eleanore Wood | November 1, 2017

Wednesday, November 1, Congress is hearing the Heartbeat Protection Act which would ban abortions after a heartbeat is detected–effectively banning abortion at six weeks. Many women don’t even know they’re pregnant at six weeks. The House passed a bill in October that bans abortion at 20 weeks, so GOP leaders are wanting to follow their momentum…

ThinkProgress: Congress is holding a hearing on a bill that would ban virtually all abortions

By Eleanore Wood | October 27, 2017

In January House Republicans introduced the Heartbeat Protection Act, which will be heard on November 1. This act would ban abortion after a heartbeat is detectable, which is often at 6 weeks. Since many women don’t even know they are pregnant before 6 weeks, this would effectively ban most abortions. It would also send physicians…

Charlotte Deserves Access to Abortion Without Shame and Stigma

By Eleanore Wood | October 20, 2017

According to the Local Reproductive Freedom Index, Charlotte scores a 1.5…out of 5 stars. This means it is one of the worst cities for reproductive rights in the entire United States. Some factors that were considered when ranking cities were protecting access to abortion clinics, providing funding for reproductive rights, supporting young peoples’ access to…

The Hill: McConnell: 20-week abortion ban will get Senate vote

By Eleanore Wood | October 17, 2017

Recently the House passed a 20-ban abortion bill, that will make it illegal for anyone to perform an abortion after 20 weeks, with prison and fines as possible penalties. Monday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stated that the entire Republican party is in favor of this bill, however, he didn’t say when a vote can…

Washington Post: GOP health-care talks center on stark question: Help vulnerable Americans or help the rich?

By Eleanore Wood | June 30, 2017

The GOP clearly does not want to prioritize vulnerable Americans over helping the rich, as their approved health care plan gave the top 0.1% huge tax breaks. Their bill, which was drafted completely in the dark, cut Medicaid funding by $772 billion and would leave 22 million Americans without health care. In response to the…