Tuesday, April 5, 2005 | 9:21 a.m.
On behalf of all Americans who believe that the key to reducing the need for abortion is to prevent unintended pregnancies, I would like to sincerely thank Sen. Harry Reid for offering his amendment to the Senate budget resolution (Re "Reid backs amendment on unintended pregnancies," March 18).
As someone who opposes abortion, Sen. Reid has made it a top priority to pass common-sense policies that reduce the need for the medical procedure. His amendment would have ensured that health-insurance plans that cover Viagra also cover "the pill." It would also have established teen pregnancy prevention programs and increased women's awareness of emergency contraceptives.
Sen. Reid recognizes that people on both sides of the abortion debate should be able to agree on these basic prevention methods. Unfortunately, his amendment was narrowly rejected by Republican senators who caved in to pressure from hard-line, anti-birth-control groups.
We encourage Nevadans who believe that the way to reduce the need for abortion is by preventing unintended pregnancy to thank Sen. Reid for continuing to push for common-sense policies.
NANCY KEENAN Washington, D.C.
Editor's note: The writer is president of NARAL Pro-choice America, a national organization that provides information about reproductive rights.
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