Resolution _________________

A RESOLUTION regarding insurance coverage for comprehensive reproductive health care, including abortion, calling on the United States Congress and President Obama to repeal all federal bans on public coverage of abortion and supporting efforts to improve access to public and private insurance coverage for comprehensive reproductive health care, including abortion.

WHEREAS, every woman needs access to a range of safe, affordable and comprehensive reproductive health care throughout her life, including screenings for cancer and sexually transmitted infections, contraceptive services, abortion care, prenatal care, and labor and delivery services; and

WHEREAS, every woman, regardless of income, needs insurance coverage to access these services so that she can seek care from licensed, quality health care providers and so that economic barriers do not determine critical health care decisions; and

WHEREAS, despite the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade ensuring the right to abortion in the United States, the U.S. Congress denies coverage of nearly all abortion care for women enrolled in Medicaid or other federal health plans.

WHEREAS, laws that restrict insurance coverage of abortion create unjust obstacles to quality health care and inflict disproportionate harm on low-income women, women of color, and immigrant women, who already face significant barriers to accessing timely, high-quality health care; and

WHEREAS, unintended pregnancy rates are highest among poor and low-income women and women aged 18--24 ; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Supreme Court's 2014 decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby further undermines women's access to insurance coverage for comprehensive reproductive health services; and

WHEREAS, many women find it difficult to pay for an abortion and are unable to use insurance, and public and private health insurance coverage of abortion care would ease the financial strain experienced by abortion patients ; and

WHEREAS, a woman's ability to make a decision about when and whether she will bear children is essential to the health, well-being, and safety of her and her family; and

WHEREAS, as of 2012, over 321,155 women live in Seattle, 70,645 women in Seattle are enrolled in public insurance and over 3,200 women of reproductive age are insured through the federal government and are therefore subject to federal restrictions on abortion coverage;

WHEREAS, voters in Washington State have consistently affirmed a woman's right to reproductive freedom and privacy, as demonstrated by the passage of Initiative 120, the Reproductive Privacy Act, in 1991 and by the defeat of Initiative 694, which would have criminalized late-term abortions, in 1998;

WHEREAS, the City of Seattle has repeatedly passed resolutions affirming a woman's right to reproductive freedom and privacy, including Resolution No. 27960 (1989) (urging all public officials and the U.S. Supreme Court to maintain freedom of choice for all women, regardless of age or economic condition), Resolution No. 28027 (1989) (urging the state legislature to retain existing legislation protecting a woman's right to obtain an abortion), and Resolution No. 28398 (1991) (calling on Congress to repeal regulations prohibiting abortion counseling at federallyfunded family planning clinics);

NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE, THE MAYOR CONCURRING, THAT:

Section 1: The City of Seattle recognizes that every woman needs access to a range of safe, affordable and comprehensive reproductive health care, regardless of income, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or age, and that insurance coverage is critical to accessing health care.

Section 2: The City of Seattle calls upon Congress and President Obama to support and reinstate insurance coverage for abortion services for women enrolled in public insurance programs, including women covered through Medicaid and Medicare, the Federal Employees Health Benefits program, insurance through the Peace Corps and federal prison system, Indian Health Services, public insurance in the District of Columbia, and military insurance.

Section 3: The City of Seattle opposes federal and state laws placing restrictions on insurance plans' coverage of abortion and supports ensuring access to public and private insurance coverage for abortion for all women.

Section 4: The Seattle City Office of Intergovernmental Relations (OIR) will promote these interests with local, regional, state, federal and international governments and will support legislation that advances public and private insurance coverage of comprehensive reproductive health care, including abortion.

Adopted by the City Council the ____ day of __________________, 2014, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this____ day of ______________________, 2014.

_________________________________

President ___________of the City Council

THE MAYOR CONCURRING:

_________________________________

Edward B. Murray, Mayor

Filed by me this ____ day of ________________________, 2014.

____________________________________

Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk

(Seal)

1 Guttmacher Institute, Fact Sheet: Facts on Unintended Pregnancy in the United States (Sept. 2013). 2 Rachel Jones et al., "At What Cost? Payment for Abortion Care by U.S. Women," Women's Health Issues, Vol. 23, No. 3 (May 2013). 3 U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, Demographic and Housing Estimates, Washington and Washington, King County, Seattle (2012 data, by age and sex).

Councilmember Bruce Harrell Comprehensive Reproductive Health Care September 3, 2014 Version #4