Gallego, Colleagues Reintroduce Legislation to Expand Access to Women’s Preventative Health Services

WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) joined Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and 14 Senate Democrats in reintroducing the Jeanette Acosta Invest in Women’s Health Act , legislation that would increase the availability of preventive, life-saving cancer screenings at safety-net health care providers like Planned Parenthood. The bill would create new grant and pilot programs to expand access to preventive services and screenings for breast and gynecological cancers — especially for low-income women and women of color — and train health care providers in providing high-quality cancer screening, early detection, and follow-up care. “The reintroduction of this bill is an important step toward ensuring women everywhere have access to the preventive health care that can mean the difference between life and death,” said Senator Gallego. “I’m proud to stand with my colleagues to expand access to lifesaving cancer screenings and break down the barriers too many women continue to face, regardless of their income or background. In doing so, we honor Jeannette Acosta’s legacy and stand with every woman and family whose lives have been impacted by cancer.” “I’m proud to reintroduce the Jeanette Acosta Invest in Women’s Health Act in honor of Jeanette Acosta, a fierce advocate who fought to make sure every woman could get the health care she needs,” said Senator Murray. “Too many women suffer preventable deaths because they didn’t have access to the cancer screenings that would have detected their condition early on. That is an unacceptable tragedy. We know that early detection saves lives — not to mention health care costs — and investing in preventive services to help more women get treatment before it’s too late is just common sense. I’m not going to stop fighting to pass this crucial piece of legislation in Jeanette’s memory.” In addition to Gallego and Murray, the bill was sponsored by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). The bill is endorsed by: American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Black Women’s Health Imperative, Human Rights Watch, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, National Council of Jewish Women, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women’s Law Center Action Fund, Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance, and Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Read the full text of the legislation HERE .