Maria Cantwell On Health Care Reform

Cantwell has continually supported Healthcare reform in the U.S and co-sponsored the Healthy Americans Act, which proposed to improve healthcare by establishing universal heath care. She worked on amendments that would establish a public health care option that could compete with private insurers (Maria Cantwell). Since Cantwell was on the Finance Committee, she was extremely influential on healthcare reform legislation; however she was highly criticized for her opposition to a public option in the reform. The Stranger reported that “Seattle congressman Jim McDermott supports it. Washington senator Patty Murray wants it. So does President Barack Obama. So does the often conservative Seattle Times editorial page. So do 72 percent of Americans,

She has continually shown support for making Plan B, or the morning after pill, available to girls 16 and under. She also cosponsored the Prevention First Act, which would increase national access to preventative measures and family planning in order to reduce the number of unplanned and unwanted pregnancies (“Prevention First Act”). Cant well argues that increasing access to family planning and sexual health education will decrease the number of unwanted pregnancies. “I’m very supportive of programs like planned parenthood and dollars that are used to educate women about their choices. And that means the whole spectrum of choices”(“Maria Cantwell on Abortions”) Many of her critics argued that her policies were too extreme and would allow “11 year old girls to gain access to these drugs” “(Maria Cantwell”). Maria, like the majority of democratic, is pro-choice and continually supports pro-choice legislation and supports pro-choice movements. She has voted against the Partial-birth Abortion Act of 2003 and the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, however both acts have passed and were signed into law. Cantwell claims “Personal decisions such as this should not be made for us by the government. All women deserve access to safe and legal abortion services.” (“Maria Cantwell on Abortions”). Her votes in the senate have shown her 100% pro-choice

On the day that the verdict of the Amanda Knox trial was released, Senator Cantwell released the statement that showed shock and disappointment at the guilty verdict. Cantwell claimed she “had serious questions about the Italian justice system and whether anti-Americanism tainted this trial” (Associated Press). She believed that the evidence against Knox was insufficient and that she had been harshly treated. Cantwell asked for the assistance of then Secretary of State Hilary Clinton to help Knox get