I was excited to read Jaime Herrera Beutler’s district update for March 9, in which she described the bipartisan Preventing Maternal Deaths Act she introduced. I share her concern that the U. S. has a low rating among other industrialized nations for its maternal mortality rate. Learning how to reduce pregnancy-related deaths is critical.
In the meantime, I urge her to support women’s health by voting to 1) improve the Affordable Care Act instead of enacting legislation that will make it harder for poorer women to get health care; 2) expand Medicaid; and 3) retain funding for Planned Parenthood (for women who know their health may not support a successful pregnancy, access to contraception is a must).
I appreciate that she and I both value the lives of young women and want them to enjoy the happiness of a healthy birth.
