Stand Up For Women's Health

National News:

• One woman shares a personal story on having to make a life-changing decision: http://www.guernicamag.com/features/3535/ptacin_3_1_12/

• Jezebel asks, “Why is it that, legally, only anti-choice professionals are believed to have a conscience? Can’t pro-choice people make moral decisions?” : http://jezebel.com/5889061/pro+choice-means-anti+conscience-and-other-bullshit-rules

• The Senate defeated Sen. Roy Blunt’s amendment to allow employers to refuse to cover health services: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0312/73497.html#ixzz1nt4nPKS2

• Just moments after Senators defeated the so-called Blunt Amendment, Rep. Tim Murphy accused Sebelius of lying about the administration’s rule requiring employers to provide birth control coverage: http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/03/01/435719/gop-rep-on-birth-control-were-not-talking-about-scientists-im-asking-about-religious-belief/

• Conservative radio host, Rush Limbaugh, lashes out at Georgetown University student, Sandra Fluke: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/03/rush-limbaugh-sandra-fluke-a-slut-and-prostitute/

• Sandra Fluke considers a lawsuit against Rush Limbaugh, and is encouraged by support from Congress members, women’s groups and President Obama: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/03/02/birth-control-advocate-sandra-fluke-isn-t-scared-of-rush-limbaugh.html

• Rush Limbaugh apologizes for his controversial comments on Georgetown University student, Sandra Fluke: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/03/rush-limbaugh-apologizes-for-verbal-attack/?hp

State News:

• Jezebel has a breakdown of recent state proposed anti-abortion laws from the past week: http://jezebel.com/5889998/your-depressing-digest-of-proposed-state-anti+abortion-laws

• Alabama State Senator Clay Scofield changes proposed invasive ultrasound bill: http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/02/28/433463/alabama-lawmaker-backs-down-waters-down-invasive-ultrasound-bill/

• Salon reports on the controversial legislation in Alabama requiring women to have a transvaginal ultrasound before an abortion procedure: http://www.salon.com/2012/02/28/the_ultrasound_fallacy/singleton/

• Virginia’s ultrasound bill passes the Senate: http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/28/10532065-virginia-rolls-ultrasound-bill-forward

• Texas currently has a similar bill to the one Virginia recently scrapped, all without making the mistake of spelling out the actual method: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/news_columnists/o_ricardo_pimentel/article/Virginia-rejects-what-Texas-kept-hidden-3369002.php

• Following controversy surrounding Virginia’s ultrasound bill, Pennsylvania House Republicans announced that a similar ultrasound bill will not go to the floor for a vote: http://www.msmagazine.com/news/uswirestory.asp?ID=13499

• A bill making its way through the Washington state legislature would require insurers to cover abortion services, like it would any other medical procedure: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017605785_abortion27m.html?prmid=4939

• Georgia lawmakers are seeking to ban abortions after five months: http://www.myfoxny.com/dpps/news/ga-lawmakers-move-to-ban-abortions-after-5-months-dpgapx-20120229-kh_18298949

• And in Oklahoma, hundreds of women gathered to protest a new personhood bill awaiting approval from the House, where it’s expected to pass: http://www.msmagazine.com/news/uswirestory.asp?ID=13502