Women's rights are under attack. George Bush and the Republican Party
want to turn back the clock on a woman's right to choose and reverse
decades of progress toward achieving full equality. Bush is
anti-choice, against family leave, against pay equity, and against
health care reform.
Tom Harkin is dedicated to expanding women's rights, not restricting
them. He has been a leader in fighting for a woman's right to choose.
He supports the Equal Rights Amendment. Senator Harkin is for pay
equity, for child care, and for comprehensive health care reform. A
Harkin administration will fight for the rights and equality of all
women, regardless of their economic background.
PROTECTING A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE
Tom Harkin is pro-choice, and supports a woman's right to the full
range of reproductive options, free from government interference. He
believes the right to privacy and the right to choose are fundamental
rights protected by the Constitution.
Tom Harkin is a sponsor of the Freedom of Choice Act, which guarantees
women the right to choose. As Chair of the Health and Human Resources
Subcommittee, Tom Harkin wrote the bill that permitted Medicaid
funding for abortions for victims of rape and incest. Congress passed
the bill, but George Bush vetoed it.
OVERTURNING THE GAG RULE
Tom Harkin supports Family Planning and Title X. As Chair of the
Health and Human Resources Subcommittee, he led the fight against the
administration's "gag rule," which prevents family planning clinics
from informing wmen of all their legal and medical options.
Congress passed Tom Harkin's Health and Human Services bill to
overturn the gag rule and increase funding for Title X. George Bush
vetoed the bill.
THE SUPREME COURT
Tom Harkin has fought Bush's campaign to stack the U.S. courts with
judges who pass the right wing's anti-choice litmus test. Tom Harkin
believes the Supreme Court and lower federal courts should protect
Americans' fundamental rights, including the right to privacy.
PRO-WOMEN, PRO-FAMILY POLICIES
Tom Harkin fights for policies and programs that are pro-women and
pro-family. He supports pay equity for women. He supports family and
medical leave legislation. George Bush vetoed it.
Tom Harkin believes the ERA is one of the most important measures to
end sexual discrimination. He supports programs like WIC and prenatal
care for women. He supports lifting the cap on damages for victims of
sexual harassment at the workplace.
As Chairman of the Health Appropriations Subcommittee, Tom Harkin has
put his policies into action. He fully funded the Child Care Act and
gave a record increase to Maternal and Child Health programs. He
included $50 million for breast cancer screening and created an Office
of Women's Health at the National Intitutes of Health.
Tom Harkin created a Breast and Cervical Cancer Testing Initiative and
favors extending Medicare coverage for mammogram testing.
COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE
Tom Harkin is a leader in the fight for more affordable, accessible
and secure health care. Harkin supports a comprehensive health care
plan that guarantees all Americans affordable quality health care,
provides long-term care, reduces costs and cuts red tape, uses the
savings to improve coverage and lower costs for American consumers. As
President, Harkin will present this plan to Congress and sign it into
law by the end of his first year in office.
