These are just a few of the bills that NLIRH believes are important to watch in 07--either because we believe that will actually be voted on, and/or because we believe they will have an impact on the reproductive health and rights of Latinas. Questions or comments: email aishia@latinainstitute.org.

Communities of Color Teen Pregnancy Act of 2006 Reintroduced

A new bill, HR 468, which specifically addresses the reproductive health needs of women and communities of color, has been introduced in the house.  

This bill was first introduced in July 2006 and has been re-introduced  by Representative Solis as Communities of Color Teen Pregnancy Prevention Act of 2007,  and has been re-introduced in the same name for 2007. 

 

The bill calls for the provision of grants for activities to prevent teen pregnancy, including funding for organizations that work toward preventing teen pregnancy through public education.  Organizations that receive funding must:

• foster communication among families,
• educate the community, and
• provide educational material that contains medically accurate contraceptive information that is culturally and linguistically competent.

 

Putting Prevention First Act (S 20/ HR 1709)

This legislation aggregates seven family planning-related bills designed to expand access to health care services and education programs that help reduce unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and the need for abortion through several mechanisms.

 

Freedom of Choice Act (S 1173/ HR 1964)

After the April Supreme Court decision to uphold the Federal Abortion Ban, Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-CA and Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-NY reintroduced the Freedom of Choice Act, in each the Senate and House of Representatives, respectatively.

 

Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrate Economy (STRIVE)

(HR 1645)

Although this bill aims to provide some beneficial provisions for immigrants, such as elimination of family backlog within six years and inclusion of the DREAM Act and Ag Job Act, it also has some harmful provisions as well that can adversely impact Latina immigrants. Latinas who come into the US with their spouse through the new H-2C visa program will be unable to seek unemployment. Also, the "touchback" provision will require some undocumented immigrants to leave the country and then re-enter before normalizing their status.