Wisconsin Republicans Must Stop Playing Political Games with Women’s Health

Wisconsin Republicans Must Stop Playing Political Games with Women’s Health
So-Called “Pro-Life” Caucus Refuses to Care About Health & Lives of Wisconsinites
 
MADISON – As residents of our state continue to struggle under the weight of the still raging COVID pandemic, the State’s legislative majority insists on putting politics before people. Instead of prioritizing legislation that would immediately improve the health, lives and economic security of Wisconsin families, leaders in the State Capitol choose to spend their days pushing an extreme political agenda completely out of touch with voters.
 
“It’s infuriating to watch the legislative majority in our state rush through dangerous policies under a so-called “Time for Life” agenda,” notes Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health Executive Director Sara Finger. “It’s time that we call out the hypocrisy and recognize how little the GOP actually cares about the health and lives of Wisconsin women and their families.”
 
While a growing list of positive, evidence-based bills are blatantly ignored, the Republican majority in the State Senate and State Assembly are making clear choices indicating where their priorities lie. The following is a list of powerful policies available now for our legislature to take up and pass if they authentically cared about the lives of Wisconsin women and babies:

• Abortion Rights Preservation Act (SB 75/AB 106)
• Diaper & Tampon Sales Tax Exemption (SB 227)
• 12 Month Birth Control Prescription (SB 288/AB 256)
• CLEAR Act to Regulate PFAS (SB 361/AB 419)
• Expand BadgerCare  (SB 439/AB 444)
• Increase Minimum Wage (SB 452/AB 477)
• Increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit (SB 465/AB 494)
• Right to Breastfeed (SB 493/AB 476)
• Baby Bond Trust Fund (SB 497/AB 513)
• Extend Postpartum Medicaid Coverage for One Year (SB 562)

“If those who wear the “pro-life” badge so proudly really cared about life, they would stop ignoring our infant mortality crisis, they would take the COVID pandemic and science-based public health precautions seriously, and they would increase access to affordable health care in our state,” adds Finger. “And for those fighting so hard for “choice” when it comes to masks and vaccines, Wisconsinites are taking note of every effort these same individuals are making to take away the autonomy and choice of women in our state when it comes to their most fundamental rights.”