From the great folks at Planned Parenthood of Virginia.
On Healthcare: John Adams Repeatedly Fails to Stand Up for Virginians
Richmond, VA — Healthcare will undoubtedly be top of mind for Virginia voters during the final Attorney General debate hosted by the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce this morning. As the Trump administration continues to attack health care access, Republican candidate John Adams has repeatedly failed to stand up for the millions of Virginians who will suffer from weakened health insurance plans and restricted access to contraception under the administration’s new executive orders.
On October 6th, the Trump Administration released their rollback of the Obama-era no-copay birth control rule, allowing virtually any employer, school, or other entity to opt out of providing contraceptive coverage for religious or moral reasons.
In Virginia, 1.6 million women have benefited from no-copay birth control. When Trump’s rollback was released, Attorney General Mark Herring sprung into action, leading a coalition of 18 Attorney Generals in opposition of the mandate and prefacing legal action.
FACT: John Adams volunteered to restrict access to contraception and laid the legal groundwork for Trump’s latest birth control rule when he wrote amicus briefs for Hobby Lobby. He has continuously put the interests of corporations before the health of American women.
“There is absolutely a right for people not to be compelled by the government to do things that violate their religious beliefs, and that is why I wrote those briefs on behalf of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Hobby Lobby.” [VA AG Debate, Video (47:30), 6/17/17]
FACT: John Adams claims he doesn’t “care” about birth control, but he has continuously fought to curb women’s access.
“I have zero interest in limiting women’s access to birth control. None. It’s not an issue I think about. It’s not an issue I care about. I’m not limiting anyone’s access to birth control. It’s political talk. It’s silly. What I do care about is not allowing government to force people, the Little Sisters of the Poor, to take actions that violate their religious faith.” [VA AG Debate, Video (52:40), 6/17/17]
FACT: John Adams’ views on birth control are out-of-touch with both Virginia women and the American people.
According to a Politico/Morning Consult poll, the majority of Americans support requiring health insurers to cover contraceptive care, such as birth control pills and that support holds when asked about any moral or religious objection.
FACT: Birth control is vital to Virginia women’s ability to succeed both personally and professionally.
Bloomberg Businessweek named contraception as one of the most transformational developments in the business sector in the last 85 years. Fully one-third of the wage gains women have made since the 1960s are the result of access to oral contraceptives. The ACA’s birth control benefit has also improved women’s economic security and saved women an estimated $1.4 billion on birth control pills in its first year alone.
John Adams would not stand up against the Trump administration if elected Attorney General. While Attorney General Herring fights for Virginia women’s health care, including their access to birth control, John Adams would let discrimination run rampant in the Commonwealth.
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