Black women applaud Pennsylvania injunction to 
stop rollback of birth control coverage

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JAN 14, 2019

Contact: Loretta Kane (917-410-7242 or loretta@caminopr.com)

Statement of In Our Own Voice President and CEO Marcela Howell

WASHINGTON –– Today, a federal court in Pennsylvania granted a nationwide injunction blocking the Trump administration’s attack on birth control. Last year, the administration announced new rules to eliminate guaranteed birth control coverage with no out-of-pocket costs under the Affordable Care Act.

The nationwide injunction comes on the heels of yesterday’s California court injunction covering 13 states and Washington, D.C. The Trump administration rules would allow employers to refuse birth control coverage if they have a moral or religious objection. These injunctions block implementation of the rule while the Pennsylvania and California cases continue to be litigated.

Marcela Howell, president and CEO of In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, issued the following statement:

“We applaud the Pennsylvania court action to enjoin the Trump administration’s new rule, which would block access to birth control for countless women. It is a direct violation of women’s bodily integrity and reproductive rights and would directly harm Black women, who already face barriers to accessing health care.

“Trump’s attempt to roll back reproductive health care access and reproductive rights protections is outrageous. Equal access to health care is only one component of a multidimensional, ongoing fight for reproductive justice. Our report, ‘Our Bodies, Our Lives, Our Voices: The State of Black Women and Reproductive Justice,’ outlines an agenda for action to disrupt the systematic and institutional oppression of Black women. While the current administration will obviously not protect us, Black women will continue to hold elected officials, policymakers and employers accountable for discrimination and inequality.”

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In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda is a national reproductive justice organization focused on lifting up the voices of Black women at the national and regional levels in our ongoing policy fight to secure reproductive justice for all women and girls.