Democratic Senate Challenger; member of State House
100 percent ratings from NARAL and Planned Parenthood
Merkley has received 100 percent ratings from both NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon for his work in the Oregon State Legislature.
Merkley believes that women’s reproductive choices should be made between them and their doctor--not politicians and special interests.
Led the fight to pass the Access to Birth Control Act
In 2007, Jeff led the fight in Oregon to pass the “Access to Birth Control Act.” The bill required health insurance plans to cover birth control and required hospitals to offer emergency contraceptives to women who seek emergency room treatment after
a sexual assault. In the US Senate, Merkley will always protect a woman’s right to choose and fight to create “buffer zones” that would require protestors to stay at least 15 feet away from abortion clinic doors and driveways.
Merkley sponsored HB 2801, “Exploration of Public Funding for Stem Cell Research” (Bill Failed, 29-30)
Establishes Human Stem Cell Research Committee.
Requires committee to develop guidelines for research involving derivation or use
of human stem cells.
Establishes Human Stem Cell Research Grant Fund.
Authorizes committee to seek private and public contributions for purpose of funding research grants from fund.
Continuously appropriates moneys in fund to Department of Human Services for purposes of Act.
Imposes penalties for failure to obtain written informed consent from donor prior to donation and use of human egg or sperm cell for research.
Directs committee to study nature of informed consent provided and to make recommendations to Governor & Legislative Assembly.
Source: Oregon State Legislative Voting Records
Jun 21, 2007
Abortions should always be legally available
Merkley supports the following principles regarding abortion:
Abortions should always be legally available.
Support “buffer zones” by requiring demonstrators to stay at least 15 feet away from abortion clinic doorways and driveways.
Source: Oregon State 1998 National Political Awareness Test
Nov 1, 1998
Voted NO on restricting UN funding for population control policies.
Congressional Summary:To require that amounts appropriated for the United Nations Population Fund are not used by organizations which support coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization.
Proponent's argument to vote Yes:Sen. WICKER (R-MS): This amendment with one issue and one issue only--whether US taxpayer dollars will be provided to help fund coercive population control policies, such as China's one-child policy--a policy that relies on coerced abortion and forced sterilization. Specifically, this pro-child, pro-family, pro-woman amendment would restore the Kemp-Kasten antipopulation control provision, which has been a fundamental part of our foreign policy for almost a quarter century. As it has always done, Kemp-Kasten allows the President to certify that funds are not used for coercive family practices. My amendment is needed because the underlying bill reverses this longstanding provision.
Sen. COBURN (R-OK): I stand in the corner of pro-life. But I want to debate this issue as if I were pro-choice. If we believe that women have a right to choose, why in the world would we send money to UNFP that is going to take that right away from women in other countries? You can't be on both sides of this issue. Either you believe in a woman's right to choose or you do not. Or you only believe in a woman's right to choose in America, and because the Chinese have too many people, you don't think that same human right ought to be given to women in China. There is no question that UNFP will mix this money, and we will fund forced abortions in China. [Without this amendment] American taxpayer dollars are going to go to China to enforce coercive abortion against the will of women and force sterilization against the will of women in China.
Opponent's argument to vote No:None spoke against the amendment.
