Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell discuss Braley's strong record on issues like women's healthcare access, paycheck fairness
Des Moines, IA - Today, Washington Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell met with women in Des Moines and Mason City to discuss the extreme positions taken by Senate candidate Joni Ernst. In contrast, the Senators highlighted Bruce Braley's proven record of standing up for middle class women and fighting for affordable, quality healthcare.
"Joni Ernst's positions could have an incredibly harmful impact?not just on women in Iowa?but for women all over the country. If Senator Ernst is elected we're less likely to pursue pay equity and women's access to common forms of contraception could be jeopardized," said Murray.
"We can't go back on healthcare rights for women -- we need to move forward," Cantwell said. " We need a partner in the U.S. Senate that will fight for women's health care and for equal pay for equal work. Bruce Braley is the right candidate who will protect women's rights and support an economic agenda that will move our country forward."
Bruce Braley has been a strong and consistent advocate for a woman's right to make her own healthcare decisions. In stark contrast, Joni Ernst's radical views on women's healthcare include sponsorship of a so-called "personhood" amendment that would have banned many common forms of birth control and outlawed abortions, even in the case of rape or incest. Ernst's position on this amendment was sharply criticized in a recent editorial by the Des Moines Register.
As Washington state's senior Senator, Patty Murray has a proven track record spanning more than two decades of fighting for Washington state families in the United States Senate. Patty has established herself as a tireless and effective leader on education, transportation, budget issues, women, and veterans issues. In addition to being the first female Senator from Washington state, Patty served as the first female Chair of the DSCC, the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee and currently is the first female Chair of the Senate Budget Committee. Patty has been a key leader in protecting women's health in the Senate--from defending Planned Parenthood funding from Republican attacks, to standing up against the Supreme Court's decision in Hobby Lobby, and fighting to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.
Senator Maria Cantwell has a record of working to support middle-class families and expand economic opportunities for all Americans. As Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Senator Cantwell has spearheaded legislation to close the gender gap in small business lending and enable more women entrepreneurs to create and grow small businesses. In 2013, Senator Cantwell was a Senate leader in passing a bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act with strengthened protections for victims of domestic violence. She has a long record of standing up to attacks on women's health care, including speaking out on the Senate floor to defeat an amendment that would have limited health coverage for birth control.
"Joni Ernst's positions could have an incredibly harmful impact?not just on women in Iowa?but for women all over the country. If Senator Ernst is elected we're less likely to pursue pay equity and women's access to common forms of contraception could be jeopardized," said Murray.
"We can't go back on healthcare rights for women -- we need to move forward," Cantwell said. " We need a partner in the U.S. Senate that will fight for women's health care and for equal pay for equal work. Bruce Braley is the right candidate who will protect women's rights and support an economic agenda that will move our country forward."
Bruce Braley has been a strong and consistent advocate for a woman's right to make her own healthcare decisions. In stark contrast, Joni Ernst's radical views on women's healthcare include sponsorship of a so-called "personhood" amendment that would have banned many common forms of birth control and outlawed abortions, even in the case of rape or incest. Ernst's position on this amendment was sharply criticized in a recent editorial by the Des Moines Register.
As Washington state's senior Senator, Patty Murray has a proven track record spanning more than two decades of fighting for Washington state families in the United States Senate. Patty has established herself as a tireless and effective leader on education, transportation, budget issues, women, and veterans issues. In addition to being the first female Senator from Washington state, Patty served as the first female Chair of the DSCC, the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee and currently is the first female Chair of the Senate Budget Committee. Patty has been a key leader in protecting women's health in the Senate--from defending Planned Parenthood funding from Republican attacks, to standing up against the Supreme Court's decision in Hobby Lobby, and fighting to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.
Senator Maria Cantwell has a record of working to support middle-class families and expand economic opportunities for all Americans. As Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Senator Cantwell has spearheaded legislation to close the gender gap in small business lending and enable more women entrepreneurs to create and grow small businesses. In 2013, Senator Cantwell was a Senate leader in passing a bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act with strengthened protections for victims of domestic violence. She has a long record of standing up to attacks on women's health care, including speaking out on the Senate floor to defeat an amendment that would have limited health coverage for birth control.
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