Did you know that many insurance companies cover Viagra, but won't cover birth control pills? Did you know that the average woman spends 68% more on out-of-pocket health costs than the average man, and most of it is due to buying birth control pills? To right this wrong, Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Harry Reid (D-NV) have introduced the Equity in Prescription Insurance Contraceptive Coverage Act (S.1200). Under this bill, any insurance plan that covers prescription drugs and devices will have to include contraceptives in that coverage. If a plan covers any kind of outpatient medical services, outpatient contraceptive services would also be covered. The companion House bill (HR 2120) was introduced by Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Jim Greenwood (R-PA). Every member of Congress ought to support this bill - particularly those who despise abortion. Make sure they're on board by calling them at 202-224-3121 (or snag 'em at home when they take a July 4 break beginning next Friday).

Thanks to the leadership of the NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund bolstered by WFF readers and other activists, the Battered Women's Economic Security and Safety Act (WFF 5/7) has been introduced in the Senate. This bill (S. 1069), hailed as an important partner to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA II - S.51), will create programs to help victims of domestic violence receive legal assistance, shelter, and workplace employment rights, among other things. Visit NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund's web site (http://www.nowldef.org) or contact National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (Tel: 202-544-7358) to learn more about what action you can take to keep Congress on its toes. Urge your Senators (Tel: 202-224-3121 or by E-mail) to support S. 1069, especially if they already support S. 51. We've said it before - even if your Senators are arch-conservatives, call 'em anyway - then they can't claim, "women never contacted me" when they stump for re-election.

BLAME IT ON WOMEN

Even WFF was appalled by the venom of calls coming in to C-SPAN on Thursday during the gun control debate in the House, where members in the pocket of the NRA voted to try 13-year-olds as adults while increasing the flow of guns into the streets. After Rep. Tom Delay (R-TX: 202-225-5951; fax 202-224-5241) had used the House floor to blame the Littleton, Colorado shootings on contraception, abortion and day care, male callers whipped themselves into a frenzy, calling for legislation to make MOTHERS liable for any crimes their children commit. So far as we heard, no one blamed working fathers or fathers who store guns at home.

WFF just learned of a June 1st Larry King Live focusing on Hillary Clinton's run for the Senate in New York. King had the likes of Raoul Felder, a celebrity divorce lawyer, Elsa Klensch, CNN's fashion editor, and entertainment reporter Claudia Cohen as guests. After King asked whether she brings anything "style-wise" to the campaign, they took turn's trashing Clinton's looks, hair and weight. Statements such as "she's got fat...her legs are too short...she's got a round face...she comes across as bitchy and intense," were the norm. If this is the new political coverage, we want to see all candidates get equal time. How about a show on George W's crooked grin, Al's budding bald spot and Guiliani's snarly personality? It could be punctuated with comments about their suits, ties, and whether they wear boxers or tight-whites. Send your ideas for coverage (and your opinion of this show) to King at 202-898-7690; fax 202-898-7686; e-mail [email protected].

Even though rape has been recognized as a war crime, and even though Serbian forces have engaged in a documented campaign of forcible rape of Kosovar women, rape was not included in the War Crimes Tribunal indictment of Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosevic. New York Rep. Louise Slaughter (who was responsible for including $10 million for victim psychological services in the Kosovo Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act) is calling for rape to be added to the indictment. Citing the numbers of women who committed suicide after being raped in the Bosnian war, Slaughter says it is important to show Kosovar women that "it is the rapists and their superiors, not the victims, who bear responsibility for this terrible crime." The indictment now includes murder, deportation, and racial/religious persecution. Tell the White House that rape is the ultimate sexual persecution and it should be added to the indictment at 202-456-1414; fax 202-456-2461; e-mail [email protected].

U.S. and Canadian women can now enroll in a new massive study comparing two drugs that could prevent breast cancer -- tamoxifen and raloxifene. Supported by the National Cancer Institute, the new research will enroll 22,000 post menopausal women at high risk for breast cancer at 400 health centers around the U.S. To get more info or enroll, call 800-4-CANCER or see http://www.nsabp.pitt.edu or http://cancertrials.nci.nih.gov. (Cautionary note: Breast Cancer Action in San Francisco says both drugs could be harmful, and a placebo group should be included.)

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) may be finally understanding the political power of women. The traditionally anti-woman legislator has sponsored a Senate version of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)! While S.245 does not cut any funding from the original VAWA, it doesn't compare to S.51, the original VAWA bill introduced by Biden (D-DE) and Specter (R-PA). S.51 has stronger penalties for hate crimes, restricts access to flunitrazenam, the "date rape" drug (and provides sterner penalties for possession), and would hold epousal abusers in the military accountable in the courts (Hatch's bill suggests only investigating domestic violence in the military). Tell Sen. Hatch we're glad he recognizes violence as a problem, but a cosmetic makeover won't do (202-224-5251, fax 202-224-6331; e-mail [email protected]). Then urge your Senators (202-224-3121 or by E-mail) to support VAWA by signing on to S.51, the bill that provides REAL programs for victims of domestic violence. For a detailed comparison between the two bills contact the NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund, 202-544-4470.

...especially the 120 million women worldwide who are subject to the cruelty of female genital mutilation (FGM). Sen. Jim Jeffords (R-VT) and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) have introduced the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Funding Act of 1999 to reinstate the United States' financial contribution to eliminate FGM. Their bills restore funding to support UNFPA operations, which include working with indigenous communities and governments worldwide to educate and eliminate this practice. Conservatives in Congress derailed funding for UNFPA last year, attacking it for allegedly working with abortion advocacy groups and with China where forced abortion is still practiced. Both the Jeffords bill (S. 965) and Maloney Bill (HR 895) have stringent rules on China's participation, and bill cosponsors say that UNFPA does not fund abortions. Encourage your Congressmembers at 202-224-3121 (or e-mail your Representative and Senator) to support these bills that will prevent physical torture and help women around the world regain their dignity.