House Resolution 558 - Condemning violence that targets healthcare for women. 

This resolution was written on December 8th 2015 and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.  It condemns violence that targets healthcare for women, based off the idea that women have the constitutional right to make healthcare decisions about their bodies for over 43 years.  The Supreme Court have passed crucial decisions regarding women’s health.  Eisenstadt v. Baird (1972) stated that women have the constitutional right to legally access birth control and Roe v. Wade (1973) stated women have the constitutional right to comprehensive reproductive healthcare.  Despite the judicial decisions, women’s access to healthcare has been threatened with intimidation, threats and violence.  Since 1993, there have been 11 murders and numerous attempted murders at healthcare centers for women.  Similarly, since 1977 there have been almost 7000 violent attacks at health centers for women which include: bombings, arsons, death threats, kidnappings, assaults and more than 190,000 acts of disruption (e.g. bomb threats, harassing calls).  One recent target has been Planned Parenthood - victim of increasing amounts of arson, vandalism and threats - was recently a victim of a mass shooting on November 27, 2015 in Colorado Springs, Colorado in which 3 people were killed and 9 people were injured.  The bill is a call for action for the House to denounce attacks on healthcare centers for women, women healthcare providers, patients and to affirm women have the right to access reproductive healthcare services without the fear of violence, intimidation or harassment. 

To read the entire bill, look here: https://www.opencongress.org/bill/hres558-114/text