HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity of Ithaca.pdfCITY OF ITHACA
108 East Green Street Ithaca, New York 14850-5690
OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
Department of Public Information & Technology
Julie Conley Holcomb, City Clerk
eptember 20,2016
Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees
836 Hanshaw Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
Dear Board Members:
Telephone: 607 /27 4-6570
Fax: 607/274-6432
www.cityofithaca.org
Enclosed please find enclosed a Proclamation from City of lthaca Mayor Svante L. Myrick
calling upon Congress and President Obama to support and reinstate insurance coverage
for abortion services for women enrolled in public insurance programs by enacting the
EACH Woman Act. Additionally, please find a certified copy of a Resolution appioved
unanimously by the City of lthaca Common Council on September 7,2016 entiled
"Resolution Supporting Adoption of the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health
lnsurance (EACH) Woman Act".
Please let me know if I can be of further assistance to you.
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Enclosure: Resolution
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City of ltfra,ca, Qrocfdndtion
W hereos, in the last 43 years since the landmark decision in Roe v. Watle, access to abortion care
has allowed wornen to participate more fully in society, saved iives, arrd strengthened families and
communities; and
W hereas, health insurance, whether private or govsrnment funded, should cover the fulI rarrge of a
woman's options when she is facing an unintended pregnancy, so that she is able to make the decision
she deans best for her and her family without interference; and
W hrreat, the Hyde Amendment, passe<l by Congress on Septetnber 30, 1976, has for 40 years
denied federai abortion coverage for low-income women enrolled in the Medicaid health insuranoe
program, significantly irnpeding their ability to access abortion and creating an insunnountable barrier
for many women seeking abortion; and
W hrruot, New York and other states offer vital health car€ to 1ill the gap left by the federal l-Iycle
Amendment by providing those enrolled in the state Medicaid plan with coverage for the full range of
pregnancy-related services, including abortion; and
W hurtot, many women in lthaca, New York, including state and federal empJoyees, Peace Corps
rnembers, and beneticiaries of Indian Health Services and rnilitary insurance programs, obtain insurance
coverage through other public insurance programs that include restrictions that withhold coverage fcrr
abortion; and
W hrrnot, September 30, 2016 marks the 40th year of the federal Hyde Amendment, which denies
women use of Medicaid insurance for abortion and represents the nexus of deeply entrenched economic
injustice, racism, and gender inequity; and
W hereas, the EACH Woman Act, introduced in the U,S. House of Representatives in July 2015,
would expand coverage for abortion services to women currently denied by ensuring that every woman
who receives care or insurance through the federal govemment will have coverage for abortion seryices;
and by prohibiting political intei{erence in private insurance coverage ofabortion; and
W h"rror, when health insurance coverag€ for abortion is restricted, the harm falls hardest on those who
already face signifrcant barriers to receiving high-quality health care, such as low-insome women, immigrant
women, young women, women of color, and transgender and gender-nonconforming people,
Nop, thereforer l, SVANTE t. MYRICK Mayor of the City of lthacn, do hereby proclairn
that the City of lthaca, New York call upon Congress and President Obama to support and reinstate insurance
coverage for abortion services for women enrolled in public insurance programs by enaeting the EACH
Woman Actl
ln Witness whereaf,I have hereto set my hand and caused the great seal of the City of Ithaca tcr
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Alderperson Brock - Resolution Supportinq Adoption of the Equal Access to
Abortion Goverage in Health Insurance (EACH) Woman Act
By Alderperson Brock: Seconded by Alderperson Fleming
WHEREAS, reproductive health is a vital component of a woman's overall health, and a
woman's freedom to make reproductive decisions is vital to her safety, well-being,
economic opportunity, and ability to participate equally in society; and
WHEREAS, women need access to safe, affordable, and comprehensive reproductive
health.care throughout their lives, including screening for cancer and sexually
transmitted infections, contraceptive services, abortion care, prenatal care, and labor
and delivery services; and
WHEREAS, on January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a historic and landmark
decision, ruled in Roe v. Wade that the U.S. Constitution safeguards a woman's ability
to make her own personal medical decisions about when or whether to have children:
and
WHEREAS, in the last 43 years, access to abortion care has allowed women to
participate more fully in society, saved lives, and strengthened families; and
WHEREAS, the government, by partially or fully subsidizing neann insurance and health
care services for individuals who meet certain eligibility criteria, recognizes that health
care is essential to protect an individual's ability to fully participate in her family,
community, and society; and
WHEREAS, health insurance, whether private or government funded, should cover the
full range of a woman's options when she is facing an unintended pregnancy, so that
she is able to make the decision she deems best for her and her family without
interference; and
WHEREAS, we must guard against efforts to deliberately erode the availability and
affordability of abortion and undermine the protections provided by Roe v, Wade; and
WHEREAS, one such restriction is the Hyde Amendment, passed by Congress on
September 30, 1976, which has for 40 years denied abortion coverage for-low-income
women enrolled in the Medicaid health insurance program, significantly impeding their
ability to access abortion; and
WHEREAS, New York and many other states offer vital health care to fill the gap left by
the federal Hyde Amendment by providing those enrolled in the state Medicaid plan w1h
coverage for the full range of pregnancy-related services, including abortion; and
WHEREAS, many women in lthaca, New York, including state and federal employees,
Peace Corps members, and beneficiaries of lndian Health Services and military
insurance programs, obtain insurance coverage th.rough other public insurance
programs that also include restrictions that withhold coverage for abortion; and
WHEREAS, September 30, 2016 marks the 40th year of the federal Hyde Amendment,
which denies women use of Medicaid insurance for abortion and represents the nexus
of deeply entrenched economic injustice, racism, and gender inequity; and
WHEREAS, the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH)
Woman Act was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in July 2015; and
WHEREAS, the EACH Weman Act would expand coverage for abortion services to
women currently denied by ensuring that every woman who receives care or insurance
through the federal government will have coverage for abortion services; and by
prohibiting political interference in private insurance coverage of abortion; and
WHEREAS, laws that restrict insurance coverage of abortion can create insurmountable
obstacles to quality health care; and
WHEREAS, when health insurance coverage for abortion is restricted, the harm falls
hardest on those who already face significant barriers to receiving high-quality health
care, such as low-income women, immigrant women, young women, women of color,
and transgender and gender-nonconforming people; and
WHEREAS, a woman who wants to get an abortion but is denied ii ror" likely to fall
into poverty than one who can get an abortionl; and
WHEREAS, it is imperative that funding of comprehensive reproductive health care be
increased and that abortion be covered as part of comprehensive reproductive health
care in all public insurance programs to ensure that services are accessible for women
who are enrolled in such programs; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the City of lthaca, New York calls upon Congress and President
Obama to support and reinstate insurance coverage for abortion services for women
enrolled in public insurance programs by enacting the EACH Woman Act; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That this Resolution be sent to the Tompkins County Legislature and the
individual municipalities in Tompkins County, in the hopes that similar Resolutions will
be adopted by their legislative bodies.
Carried Unanimously
1 Reproductive Health Technologies Projecl (August 2015). Iwo Sides of the Same
Coin: lntegrating Economic and Reproductive Justice. Retrieved from
hltp^:#rhtp."ptglgbsrtion{doeqfnentg,,{J,"Wp$ideq$emegqrnRqnort.pdf.
STATE OF NEW YORK
COUNry OF TOMPKINS
CITY OF ITHACA
SS:
l, Julie Conley Holcomb, City Clerk of the City of lthaca, do hereby certify that the
foregoing resolution is a true and exact copy of a resolution duly adopted by the
Common Council of said City of lthaca at a regular meeting held on the 7th day of
September,2016, and that the same is a complete copy of the whole of such resolution.
lN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and the Corporate Seal of the
City of lthaca, this 20th day of September,2016.
JUlie Conley H
City Clerk
City of lthaca, New York