News & Commentary

I meet with Ruth Lockhart at Bard Coffee to discuss her work in partnership with the ACLU of Maine, and to attempt to (impossibly) capture her lifelong commitment to reproductive rights in a single blog post.

On Monday, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Rep. Nita Lowey (NY-17) reintroduced the Peace Corps Equity Act in the Senate and the House. The late Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) originally introduced the bill in April 2013. The bill seeks to expand abortion access to individuals volunteering in the Peace Corp who, as of right now, are denied abortion coverage – even in cases of rape, incest or when the life of the pregnant individual is endangered.  The lack of equity in the current policy is clear. This total abortion ban is more stringent than the policies covering all other federal workers. While the Hyde Amendment prohibits the federal government from providing insurance coverage for abortion services, it does provide exceptions in cases of rape, incest, and life endangerment. Peace Corps workers are governed by this same policy, but Peace Corps volunteers must find a way to fund their own procedures in these cases.

Each Friday, we’ll bring you updates on the latest civil liberties news from Maine and the nation.

Each Friday, we’ll bring you updates on the latest civil liberties news from Maine and the nation.

The passage of Roe v. Wade in 1973 didn’t just secure women’s constitutional rights to privacy and autonomy in their reproductive health decisions, it also drastically reduced the number of women who die due to complications from illegal abortions. The estimated number of abortions performed in the US has not changed much since the passage of Roe v. Wade. Prior to Roe, it was estimated that approximately 1 million women terminated their pregnancies. In 2008, that number was 1.21 million. In 2011, that number dropped to 1.06 million. These numbers tell us the importance of keeping abortion legal – regardless of legislation, women who find themselves facing an unwanted pregnancy may still attempt to terminate their pregnancies. If abortion isn’t legal, some women will seek out illegal means to end their pregnancies. 

Each Friday, we’ll bring you updates on the latest civil liberties news from Maine and the nation.

Tuesday, April 8, was Equal Pay Day. Equal Pay Day represents the number of extra days a woman in the U.S. must work before she is paid the same amount as the average man in the U.S. (in other words, the average woman worked through all of 2013 AND the first 14 weeks of 2014 before earning what the average man made in 2013 alone). This day was created by the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) in 1996 to raise awareness about the gap that continues to exist between men’s and women’s wages.

In the past week, anti-abortion laws in both Texas and Louisiana have gained ground. After the passage and implementation of HB 2, Texas became one of the most anti-abortion states in the nation. A provision of HB 2 - one involving doctors' hospital admitting privileges - was struck down this past November by US District Judge Lee Yeakel, who determined that the requirement placed an unconstitutional burden on women seeking abortions. Last Thursday, the US Court of Appeals in New Orleans reversed Yeakel's decision, upholding the burdensome regulations. In Louisiana, the House passed HB 388, yet another bill imposing strict regulations on physician admitting privileges. Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers bills of this type have been closing clinics all across the country, all under the guise of "women's safety." 

Yesterday, The Supreme Court heard approximately 90 minutes of arguments in the combined "contraceptive mandate" cases, Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc and Conestoga Wood Specialities Corp. vs. Sebelius. Two for-profit, private businesses, Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialities, were given the chance to justify their claim that their businesses should be exempted from the ACA's mandate addressing these cases, it’s important to note that the federal government makes an allowances for religious groups and institutions – they are not asked to provide health insurance plans with no-cost contraceptive coverage. The federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), passed by Congress in 1993, made space for these exemptions. Because of RFRA, religious institutions cannot be forced to comply with federal laws that would substantially burden their religious practices. While the CEOs of Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Woods both profess a profound attachment to their religions, neither of their businesses are religious organizations. These cases bring to light two main questions. Can a private, profit-making corporation “exercise” religion? And, if they can exercise religion, can they be protected from government interference? Several different issues are wrapped up in these questions – corporate personhood; reproductive rights; and freedom to exercise religion.