Republican Politicians Push Radical “Transvaginal Ultrasound” Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan

Friday, February 8, 2013
Contact: Jessica Tramontana, jessica@progressmichigan.org, 517-974-6302

Invasive and unnecessary requirement deemed too extreme by Republican Speaker

LANSING – Last week 21 Republican state Reps. co-sponsored a bill that would have effectively forced women seeking an abortion to have an ultrasound performed with an invasive vaginal probe.

In the face of media reports and widespread public outcry, Republican House Speaker Jase Bolger said the House would not consider the legislation. “I have absolutely no interest in forcing a woman to have a transvaginal ultrasound,” said Bolger.

“Instead of focusing on jobs, Lansing Republicans are pushing an extreme anti-woman agenda,” said Jessica Tramontana, Communications Director of Progress Michigan. “Politics has no place in the doctor’s office. It’s time for Lansing politicians to focus on restoring education funding and creating good-paying jobs, not dismantling women’s rights.”

Last session, Lansing Republicans worked to limit abortion access for women that lived in rural areas, required doctors to prove that women haven’t been “coerced” into a decision to have an abortion, and enacted scores of new unnecessary and intrusive rules on any medical providers that offer abortion services.

Michigan has a grade of F from NARAL Pro-Choice America for choice-related laws. In the first weeks of the 2013 session, Lansing Republicans introduced more extreme bills bills: prohibiting public funding for any medical provider that also offers abortion services; requiring abortions performed at 19 weeks to be performed in hospitals; allowing health facilities to deny services based on “conscientious objections”; and banning private health insurance providers from including abortion coverage in normal plans.

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