TO MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE:
The undersigned organizations are opposed to the amendment introduced by Senator Roy Blunt (RMO)
that would jeopardize quality health insurance coverage for millions of people in this country.
The Blunt Amendment #1520 to S. 1813, the Surface Transportation bill, allows any employer or
insurance company, religious or not, to deny health insurance coverage for any essential or
preventive health care service that they object to on the basis of religious beliefs or moral
convictions. That means employers and insurance companies can not only deny access to birth
control, they can deny access to any health care service required under the new health care law,
including maternity care for unmarried women, vaccines for children, blood transfusions, HIV/AIDS
treatment, or type II diabetes screenings. This expansive control over employees’ coverage will
have a harmful impact on all people, and it will discriminate against those who need access to
essential health services the most.
In short, the Blunt amendment would eviscerate critical protections in the Affordable Care Act and
completely undermine a fundamental principle of the health care law—that everyone in this country
deserves a basic standard of health insurance coverage.
We urge you to reject the Blunt amendment and oppose all efforts to undermine peoples’ access to
health care.
Sincerely,
Advocates for Youth
The AIDS Institute
AIDS United
America Votes
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Association of University Women
American Civil Liberties Union
American College of Nurse-Midwives
American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
American Medical Student Association
American Medical Women’s Association
American Nurses Association
American Public Health Association
Asian Communities for Reproductive Justice
Association of Reproductive Health Professionals
Black Women’s Health Imperative
Catholics for Choice
Center for Health and Gender Equity
Center for Reproductive Rights
Center for Women Policy Studies
Coalition of Labor Union Women
Choice USA
Concerned Clergy for Choice
Doctors for America
EQUAL Health Network
Feminist Majority
Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC)
Hadassah, The Women's Zionist Organization of America, Inc.
Health Care for America Now
Healthy Teen Network
HIV Medicine Association
Human Rights Campaign
International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace & Agricultural Implement Workers of America, UAW
International Women’s Health Coalition
Jewish Women International
Justice and Witness Ministries of the United Church of Christ
Law Students for Reproductive Justice
MergerWatch
Methodist Federation for Social Action
MoveOn.org Political Action
NARAL Pro-Choice America
National Abortion Federation
National Alliance on Mental Illness
National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum
National Center for Transgender Equality
National Coalition for LGBT Health
National Coalition of STD Directors
National Council of Jewish Women
National Council of Women’s Organizations
National Education Association
National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund
National Health Law Program
National Immigration Law Center
National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
National Organization for Women
National Partnership for Women & Families
National Physicians Alliance
National Women’s Law Center
New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good
Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Population Connection
Progressive Majority
Raising Women's Voices for the Health Care We Need
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
Religious Institute
Reproductive Health Technologies Project
Service Employees International Union
Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States
SisterSong NYC
Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine
The National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy
Trust Women/Silver Ribbon Campaign
Union for Reform Judaism
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
United Methodist Church, General Board of Church & Society
U.S. Positive Women’s Network and Women Organized to Respond to Life-threatening Diseases
Women Donors Network
