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Because Freedom Can't Protect Itself.

Dear friends,

Women have a Constitutional right to make their own medical decisions, but the State of Maine is denying the poorest Maine women meaningful access to abortion services. While most private health insurance plans cover all available choices, MaineCare does not. These restrictions are discriminatory and harm women's health. Without coverage, women are forced to continue an unwanted pregnancy or make significant sacrifices to be able to pay for abortion care. Both of these choices can have enormous impact on a woman's health and her ability to raise herself and her family out of poverty.

LD 1309, "An Act to Provide Equity in Funding for Women's Health Services," sponsored by Senate President Beth Edmonds, would ensure that every woman in Maine has access to a full range of health care by providing public funding for abortion for Maine's lowest income women. Unfortunately, the bill is under attack by the anti-choice lobby in Augusta. We need your help!

Here's how
1. Please call your legislators and ask them to support LD 1309. Tell them that this bill is about fairness and equity. It isn't fair to deny poor women their protected Constitutional right to reproductive choice. Find your legislators here: http://www.maine.gov/portal/government/edemocracy/lookup_officials.php

Or call and leave them a message:
(800) 423-6900 (Senate)
(800) 423-2900 (House)

2. Join us in Augusta! Sign up for the Maine Choice Coalition Lobby Day on April 26th by calling or e-mailing me at 774-5444, info@mclu.org.

3. Write a letter to the editor. Check out the recent letter by board member Gwethalyn Phillips at the Bangor Daily News: http://bangordailynews.com/news/t/viewpoints.aspx?articleid=147980&zoneid=36
We need more letters of public support like that one, and we're happy to supply you with the information needed to write. Again, give me a call or write me an email.

Please join me in standing up for fairness and equal protection for ALL of Maine's women.

Take care,
Rachel

Rachel L. Myers
Field Organizer
Maine Civil Liberties Union
www.mclu.org

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