Nursing Policy And Advocacy For Improving Population And Health Assignment
Nursing Policy And Advocacy For Improving Population And Health Assignment
Advocacy Bill: Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act of 2021
Advocacy in healthcare is one of the critical efforts geared toward improving health outcomes. Health advocacy encompasses a broad spectrum of activities that expand access to care, facilitate more straightforward navigation of the system, mobilize resources, address healthcare inequities, influence health policies, and create systems for change. With in-depth knowledge, experience, and knowledge of healthcare issues, nurses play a fundamental role in advocating for policy interventions that can enhance health quality. Congresswomen Representative Janice Schakowsky is one sponsoring the Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act. This bill seeks to expand access to reproduction services. The bill is currently at House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) stage Nursing Policy And Advocacy For Improving Population And Health Assignment.
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Part 1: Legislation Grid
Legislative Intent
The Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act is a bill that seeks to amend the Foreign Assistance Act by repealing the Helms Amendment (Congress.Gov). It replaces Helms Amendment by explicitly stating that U.S. foreign assistance funds can be utilized to offer comprehensive reproductive healthcare services such as abortion. The U.S foreign policy determines limits to abortion care for people who need it, where the Helms Amendment banned U.S foreign help for abortion care (Skuster, Khanal & Nyamato, 2020). This foreign policy is puzzling because it limits access to abortion when there is a growing demand for abortion care. More women are at increased exposure for unanticipated pregnancy due to disruptions in reproductive health services. Thus, Helms Amendment compounds barriers to abortion. The Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act is a bill under development to address the shortfalls of the Helms Amendment.
The Helms Amendment is a law that was adopted and enacted 50 years. This law amended the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. The Helms Amendment prohibited using foreign assistance to meet abortion-related costs as an approach to family planning strategy, to encourage or coerce any individual to carry out abortion practice (Goodwin, 2017). The Helms Amendment significantly restricted access to reproductive healthcare services and limited specific rights, such as abortion rights. The Helms Amendment prohibited the use of U.S. foreign assistance as one of the strategies for financing abortion as a way of family planning. The language used in Helms Amendment was inferred as an outright ban on using foreign assistance funds to meet abortion-related costs under any condition. Thus, victims of even ‘exceptional’ conditions such as rape, incest, or pregnancy conditions /circumstances that threaten the life of the pregnant person, could suffer from injustice because they cannot enjoy reproductive health rights due to limited access abortion care (Goodwin, 2017). As a result, the Helms Amendment did receive backlash from critics or opponents of restrictive abortion laws. Since the Helms Amendment is classified as a permanent statute, congressional action is need required to amend this act (Goodwin, 2017). Thus, the Abortion Is Health Care Everywhere Act is a bill that seeks to address the challenges associated with Helms Amendment. The growing debate regarding the Helms Amendment is characterized by proponents, advocates, and legislators who support efforts to clarify the use of the Helms Amendment in an approach that allows for exceptions. Thus, the proponents of the Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act seeks to facilitate expanded access to reproductive services such as abortion by extending care access for exceptional cases, including rape, incest, or other circumstances that threaten the life of a pregnant woman person. Helms amendment is restrictive U.S. foreign policies undermine country-based efforts to reduce maternal mortality and bolster reproductive rights. Growing research suggests that eradicating some restrictive elements of the Helms amendment would lead to fewer unsafe abortions, fewer maternal deaths, and fewer women requiring medical interventions for complications associated with unsafe procedures (Dixon-Mueller, R. (2020).
Identify the proponents/opponents of the bill
There are various groups and individuals that propose or oppose the Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act. Most opponents of this bill are pro-life crusaders. Now, the supreme court’s action of overhauling the Roe v. Wade decision could make the supreme court be considered a vital opponent of this bill. On the other hand, most proponents of this bill are pro-choice and liberal crusaders. Besides this, healthcare, the medical community, and healthcare practitioners are significant supporters of the bill, where most of them advocated for enhanced abortion care and protection of reproductive rights Nursing Policy And Advocacy For Improving Population And Health Assignment.
The target populations addressed by the bill
This bill aims to promote pregnant persons’ rights and the women population. For instance, the bill seeks to increase access to abortion rights and care amongst women and pregnant persons by compelling U.S foreign policy to facilitate funding efforts toward abortion care and rights.
The process is the bill currently
The bill is currently at House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) stage for review.
Part 2: Legislation Testimony/Advocacy Statement
The bill, i.e., Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act of 2021, raises critical issues from healthcare and human rights perspectives. The discourse surrounding abortion and reproductive rights is divisive. It is a highly polarized discussion, where pro-life and pro-choice crusaders would clash. I concur with the pro-choice group supporting efforts that facilitate abortion and reproductive rights access. I would address the issues raised by critics of the Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act of 2021 by articulating the need for expanded access to abortion care, protection of reproductive rights, and promoting the right to choose and freedom.
I think that women should have more liberal rights on what they do with their bodies. Legislation or court decision that would limit such rights could be seen as an unnecessary encroachment and mutilation of women’s rights. The recent supreme court on Roe v. Wade is a wrong decision that could dilute the progress made over time in terms of expanding access to abortion care services and protection of human reproductive rights. The U.S government should cease limiting the efforts undertaken by other governments, civil organizations, and individuals such as healthcare practitioners in promoting women’s rights and health via abortion care. The current prevalence of abortion complications from unsafe abortion is high. The government should be a frontrunner in implementing efforts to safeguard pregnant people’s health and rights. Thus, the laws such as Helms Amendment can be traced to imperialism. Harmful policies such as this should be amended or replaced by the Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act of 2021 so that each person can feel free to support protection and enforcement of reproductive rights, healthcare, justice and liberty rights, irrespective of place.
Legislation grid and testimony/advocacy statement: As a nurse, how often have you thought to yourself, If I had anything to do about it, things would work a little differently? Increasingly, nurses are beginning to realize that they do, in fact, have a role and a voice.
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Many nurses encounter daily experiences that motivate them to take on an advocacy role in hopes of impacting policies, laws, or regulations that impact healthcare issues of interest. Of course, doing so means entering the less familiar world of policy and politics. While many nurses do not initially feel prepared to operate in this space effectively, the reward is the opportunity to shape and influence future health policy.
To Prepare:
Select a bill that has been proposed (not one that has been enacted) using the congressional websites provided in the Learning Resources.
The Assignment: (1- to 2-page Legislation Grid; 1-page Legislation Testimony/Advocacy Statement)
Be sure to add a title page, an introduction, purpose statement, and a conclusion. This is an APA paper.
Part 1: Legislation Grid
Based on the health-related bill (proposed, not enacted) you selected, complete the Legislation Grid Template. Be sure to address the following:
Determine the legislative intent of the bill you have reviewed.
Identify the proponents/opponents of the bill.
Identify the target populations addressed by the bill.
Where in the process is the bill currently? Is it in hearings or committees? Nursing Policy And Advocacy For Improving Population And Health Assignment
Part 2: Legislation Testimony/Advocacy Statement
Based on the health-related bill you selected, develop a 1-page Legislation Testimony/Advocacy Statement that addresses the following:
Advocate a position for the bill you selected and write testimony in support of your position.
Describe how you would address the opponent to your position. Be specific and provide examples.
At least 2 outside resources and 2-3 course specific resources are used.
References
Dixon-Mueller, R. (2020). Abortion policy and women’s health in developing countries. In Women’s Health, Politics, and Power: Essays on Sex/Gender, Medicine, and Public Health (pp. 191-210). Routledge.
Goodwin, M. (2017). Challenging the rhetorical gag and trap: reproductive capacities, rights, and the helms amendment. Nw. UL Rev., 112, 1417.
Skuster, P., Khanal, R. C., & Nyamato, E. (2020). Relics of imperialism: US foreign policy on abortion in the COVID era. Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters, 28(3), 75-78.
Congress.Gov. Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act of 2021. Retrieved from https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1670 Nursing Policy And Advocacy For Improving Population And Health Assignment