For Immediate Release
June 1, 2012
Washington, D.C. – The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) welcomed the defeat of the “Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (HR 3541) (PRENDA),” which would have harmed Asian American women by subjecting their health decisions to scrutiny and threatening their access to medical care.
“Yesterday’s failed vote was a direct result of the strong advocacy by women of color and health advocacy organizations that stood up for the dignity of all women and girls,” said Kathy Lim Ko, APIAHF president and CEO. “We thank our Congressional leaders who voted against this dangerous bill.”
House Republicans brought the bill to a vote yesterday under a suspension of the rules, which requires two-thirds majority to pass. The bill failed 246-168.
APIAHF is committed to promoting and protecting the health of all Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in the United States and its jurisdictions and opposes limits on health care access and laws that unfairly discriminate against individuals seeking health care based on their race or ethnicity. Sex selective abortion bans target women of color, and Asian American women in particular, by pitting women’s rights advocates against communities of color. Such bills demonize and criminalize the health care decisions of women of color and put their health at risk.
“Bills like PRENDA are not the solution to ending sex selection and son preference,” said Priscilla Huang, APIAHF policy director. “Women and girls need solutions that address the root causes of these inequities, that come from their respective communities, and that ensure they are able to access the education, health care and economic resources they need.”