Apparently, the Department of Health and Human Services wants to redefine most contraceptives (birth control pills, IUDs, etc) as abortion. This means that any state law that requires pharmacists to fill birth control prescriptions or requires insurance companies to cover birth control would be tossed out, because any health care worker who objects to abortion on moral or religious grounds doesn't have to provide access or information. Also, any clinic or organization that requires employees to provide contraceptive services would be ineligible to receive federal funds.

There is more information in an article from the Houston Chronicle here. Moveon.org has a petition against this here, for what it's worth. I tend to be distrustful of online petitions, but I figure at the very least it can't hurt.

The Health and Human Services website has a page with contact information for anyone who wants to send a letter or email about this directly to HHS. I haven't been able to find direct contact information for Secretary Michael Leavitt, but if anyone does find it please let me know.

Please note that this change can be made *without* congressional approval - according to the Chronicle, 112 congresspeople from both parties have already come out against this change. ETA: here is a letter to the Secretary of the Department of HHS signed by 26 senators.

Most of the people reading my lj are women, and I don't think I have to tell you how important access to contraception is. I don't want to get into my personal take on all of this (beyond the obvious fact that I am very much against this proposed change in the regulations) because it makes me so angry I don't think I can write anything intelligent about it right now. If anyone else wants to give it a shot, let me know and I'll link it here.

I'm leaving this post public in case anyone wants to link to it or whatever, and so that anyone who comes to look at my lj will be able to see it. Please, anyone who is able, write a letter to or call HHS or your congressperson, sign the petition, let other people know that this is going on. Remember, your congressperson does not have the ability to vote against this - it is not subject to congressional approval. But they can speak out against it, and I'm going to quote the Chronicle article here because they said it better: "If HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt is irresponsible enough to approve the regulation, Congress and the next president should make sure it is short-lived."

So. If you didn't already, now you know.

I'm going to Preakness! With cute boys from work! Time to start working out more, for I am totally introducing them to the Texan Daytime Outdoor Party Uniform - skirt and bikini top, with a tank top for after the sun goes down. Beating the belly into submission starts now!

Apparently I can bring in enough cheap wine to keep myself pleasantly hammered all day long, rather than having to pay $8 at the concession stand for a beer that I won't even enjoy. FTW!

Also, I heard a rumor there might be a slip-n-slide involved. *crosses fingers*

omg WANT.