House GOP Holds Anti-Abortion Event Dominated By Men

[Tx4obama]

House GOP Holds Anti-Abortion Event Dominated By Men

On Wednesday, Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) held an anti-abortion press conference for the bill he intends to reintroduce that restricts women’s abortion rights nationwide. A direct challenge to Roe v. Wade, Franks’ bill bans abortions after 20 weeks, before a fetus even reaches the point of viability. Just this week, an appeals court stuck down a 20-week abortion ban enacted by Franks’ home state of Arizona.

The lawmakers slated to speak today included nine House Republicans in addition to Franks — Republicans Chris Smith (NJ), Joe Pitts (PA), John Fleming (LA), Randy Weber (TX), Steve King (IA), Steve Daines (MT), Joe Wilson (SC), and Louie Gohmert (TX). Michele Bachmann (MN) was the only woman member of Congress listed for the event. Pictured above on the right is Susan B. Anthony List‘s Marilyn Musgrave and another non-member of Congress. Republicans have a history of excluding women from these conversations, like inviting an all-male panel to discuss limiting women’s access to birth control.

Capitalizing on the recent case of an illegal Philadelphia-area abortion doctor being convicted of murder, Franks recently expanded the scope of the bill beyond limiting DC women’s rights to women nationwide. Ironically, the case Franks cited actually proves the need to expand women’s access to safe abortion services.

Photo here: http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/05/22/2047671/house-gop-anti-abortion-event-men/

[Rhiannon12866]

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