Rep. Renee Ellmers remains defiant after Democrats slammed her over the weekend for calling the 2010 health care law the real "war on women." In an interview with CQ Roll Call on Monday, the North Carolinian and chairwoman of the Republican Women's Policy Committee said she wasn't surprised by the blowback. "[Democrats'] mindset is that the only issues that women care about have to do with their bodies ... where the only thing women care about are free contraception and whether or not they have the right to have an abortion," said Ellmers, who opposes abortion rights. "As Republicans, we know women in this country are so concerned with the path that we're on right now and so many other issues, health being one of them. Control over our bodies being one of them." Ellmers also fired back at Democrats' argument that the health law has expanded women's access to preventive health services such as mammograms and colonoscopies. "What Democrats fail to mention is now the cost of insurance is skyrocketing, many times quadrupling, in cost, and deductibles are going up by thousands and thousands of dollars. When they're talking about free, preventative care for women, I'm having a hard time understanding where the 'free' part is," Ellmers said. She called Democratic messaging "a disservice to women in this country." Ellmers' remarks came as she gave the GOP's weekly address to the American people. "If you want to talk about a 'war on women,' look no further than this health care law," she said. She continued: (more…)
