On Friday, August 13, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ella®, a new emergency contraception pill.  What makes ella® different from other emergency contraceptives is that it's still effective when taken up to five days after sex. 

 Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, praised the FDA's decision:

 "The FDA's approval of ella® is a sign of progress for women's access to emergency contraception and for the role of sound science at the FDA.  Emergency-contraception options like ella® are a safe, effective back-up method when something goes wrong such as if a condom breaks, or in tragic situations when a woman is sexually assaulted. This is a step forward for commonsense, common-ground ways to help prevent unintended pregnancy and thus reduce the need for abortion."

 Not surprisingly, anti-choice, anti-birth control activists are already trying to distort the facts about ella®.  Ella® and other emergency contraceptives prevent pregnancy; they do not cause abortion.  Click here to get the facts about emergency contraception. 

"It is a shame that some political pressure groups refuse to support better access to contraception," Keenan said. "They will repeat their false claim that emergency contraception is akin to abortion. That's wrong, and I am convinced the American people will continue to reject this misrepresentation."

 Ella® will be available by prescription only.  

My sources tell me that the roundtable discussion last night was a great success. Though I wasn't there, I hear that the thoughtfulness and intelligence of the young progressive leaders who attended impressed everyone. It was truly inspiring to learn so much from a mix of college grads and students in college and high school.

Below are some pictures from the event:

The first state NARAL Pro-Choice America visited during its multi-state Vision to Win tour was Montana. We blogged about our many adventures, including the uber-adorable Mabel - the unofficial pro-choice mascot of Montana.

Well now, the Vision to Win tour is hitting the streets of Maryland for a round table with young, pro-choice activists tonight and a really exciting event on Thursday, Privacy After Dark. Here's more information on this exciting event, which features NARAL Pro-Choice America policy director, Donna Crane, and Rep. Donna Edwards (MD-04):

Do you care about reproductive rights? You are not alone! Please join NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland and your pro-choice neighbors at Hyattsville's Hank's Tavern and Eats for a lively evening of good food, networking, and discussion about the future of reproductive politics in the states and on Capitol Hill at "Privacy After Dark: Your Body, Your Business."

Our special guest for this event will be one of our movement's top defenders of choice in Congress--our own Donna Edwards who represents Maryland's 4th Congressional District. In addition, we are also proud to be joined by one of our country's leading experts on choice legislation, Donna Crane, policy director for NARAL Pro-Choice America.

In recent years, President Bush's Supreme Court nominees have voted to weaken Roe v. Wade. This means more and more decisions about abortion, privacy, birth control, and other reproductive rights issues will be left to the states. Please join us for a fun and exciting evening as we discuss how to ensure that future generations of Maryland women will be able to exercise their right to choose.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online. We hope to see you there!

What is Vision to Win, and is it coming to my state?

NARAL Pro-Choice America is embarking on the Vision to Win tour across the country, from Connecticut to Montana.

The Vision to Win tour is a partnership with our state affiliates to further engage young grassroots leaders and elected officials in the efforts to protect choice.

Get your tickets to a Vision to Win tour event in your state:

Maryland

August 12: "Privacy After Dark: Your Body, Your Business" event with Congresswoman Donna Edwards (D-Maryland).

Wisconsin

August 17: Wine and Choice event in Madison
August 18: Wine and Choice event in Milwaukee

Connecticut

October 1: Hartford, Gala/Auction Event
October 2: New Haven, Young Millennial Leaders Roundtable
October 3: Ridgefield, Luncheon with Betsy Thompson and Rep. Jim Hines

I know you're probably in "crisis pregnancy center" (CPC) overload. Between our YellowPages.com and Superpages.com campaign, to the promotion of "12th & Delaware," to recent legislation introduced in Congress, we have given a lot to process. But, as long as CPCs continue to mislead women about their reproductive-health options, we will continue to call out this unacceptable behavior.

With that in mind, when we read this TIME article which we were thrilled to be a part of, along with NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia, we were less-than-thrilled about some key facts and truths that were left untold. Our friends at NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia quickly drafted a response for their blog, which reads, in part:

We have worked to ensure that CPCs do not utilize deception and evasion to trick people into coming into their facilities, by asking student health centers and the state legislature to support and promote policies that simply ask CPCs to be honest about what services they do (and do NOT) provide. This should not be difficult for any organization that truly has nothing to hide.

In addition to this work that we have, and will continue to do, we are challenging any new crisis pregnancy centers to hold themselves accountable. When we learned of a new CPC opening in Chesterfield County, Virginia, we launched a petition asking that the clinic hold themselves to a higher standard and commit to being honest and upfront in their advertising and other communication with women, sharing only scientifically and medically accurate information, and supporting comprehensive, science-based sex education in their community.

Be sure to go to the NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia blog and read the post in full.

There are a lot of misconceptions to clear up, but we're glad this issue is getting national attention . We will continue to work hard to ensure that women are not misled about their health-care options.

I hope that many of you were able to see the premiere of the HBO documentary "12th & Delaware" last night. Many of my colleagues here at NARAL Pro-Choice America (and our affiliate network) saw advanced screenings of the film in Baltimore, New York City, and Brooklyn, so I couldn't wait to get in on the action.

CONFESSION: I was supposed to live-tweet during the east-coast premiere. I was all prepared, notes and laptop in hand, Diet Coke poured, popcorn popped, remote in hand... and then I became so engrossed in the documentary, I completely forgot to tweet. Thankfully, I could tune in for a repeat performance of the west-coast premiere (thank you, digital cable).

Anyway, NARAL Pro-Choice America and many of our affiliates have been preparing and promoting this documentary for a long time. That's because, for years, the anti-choice movement has been building a network across the country of "fake" clinics - so-called "crisis pregnancy centers" (CPCs). Our work around these CPCs has always centered on ensuring that women get accurate, comprehensive, and unbiased medical information so they can make their own decisions. That's why it's been so important to us that the public sees this film. As my colleague Kirsten said:

The directors were given unprecedented access to the CPC. They filmed conversations that the CPC director, Anne, had with women seeking help. A true documentary film, [Heidi] Ewing and [Rachel] Grady let the people at the CPC speak for themselves. And boy did they.

The pro-choice community, as a whole, is saying positive things about the film. From the reviews I've read, they all seemed to appreciate the presentation and the tone. The one complaint was that the filmmakers didn't call out or correct the myriad lies the anti-choicers told women in the film. That's not the job of documentary-makers, but it is our job as advocates who care about making sure women get the facts about their health-care choices. So, in that spirit, we've created your go-to guide for dispelling anti-choice distortions and lies.

Below is a list adapted from a series of late-night tweets you should read and share with your friends, family, and loved ones - especially if you are one of the 260 house-party hosts from more than 40 states! So read up, and then share away:

• At one point, Father Tom (who oversees the CPC) chuckles about the time the clinic called "911" because he was at the top of a ladder he'd brought, looking over their fence. Unfortunately for Florida women and providers, the state lacks a law that would protect clinic workers and patients from such harassment. Find out if your state has a law that ensures safe access to reproductive-health clinics.
  
• During the scene where Anne (the "counselor" who misleads women) is training future CPC workers on how to avoid answering abortion-related questions over the phone while getting women to come to the CPC, keep these facts in mind: Reports have shown CPCs deliberately deceive women about the services they offer. Thankfully, Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) introduced a bill in Congress that would hold CPCs accountable for misrepresenting their services.
• CPCs outnumber legitimate reproductive-health clinics across the country. In Florida, where this documentary takes place, 69 percent of counties lack an abortion provider. Find out your state access fact.
• Since 1993, eight clinic workers (including four doctors, two employees, one clinic escort, and one security guard) were murdered in United States.
• Inside the women's health clinic, Candace talks about the dwindling number of providers. You can learn more about the new wave of reproductive-health doctors in this article, originally in the New York Times Magazine.
• Medical Students for Choice helps train the doctors who will continue to provide abortion care for future generations. You can read more about this organization on its website.
• When one woman spoke about her husband forcing her to have sex without condoms, it's important to remember that reproductive coercion can include birth-control sabotage and/or using threats to force someone to have unprotected sex. Read more information from Guttmacher and a recent Businessweek article.
• In one scene, the CPC employee lied to a woman about the risks of abortion, so she tried to self-induce a miscarriage. Read more about the hazards of illegal abortion (pdf).
  

Keep in mind, this list is a start, so if you saw other parts of the film that gave you pause or prompted you to ask questions, please let us know in the comments.

Most people have no idea how these CPCs operate or, as the documentary shows us at the end, that they outnumber health centers that provide abortion by a five-to-one margin. One of our fans on Facebook looked up CPCs in her home state of Oregon and found 44 such places. That's in Oregon, one of the most pro-choice states in the country.

As we've said before, this film is going to start a conversation about abortion and how women access information about their health-care options. Let's keep that conversation going.

As I type this for Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, she is on her way to Livingston, MT where she will visit pro-choice champion and friend, Susan Wicklund.

In the meantime, Nancy wanted me to share with you the slideshow of pictures from her trip to Montana for the first stop on NARAL Pro-Choice America's Vision to Win tour across the country:

As you can see, Montanans really know how to turn out, tune in, and support their pro-choice legislators! Reports from the field are filled tales of valuable lessons from young pro-choice activists, a lot of laughs, a little press, and Mabel the pro-choice puppy. Oh, and if you're on twitter, you can follow our twitter stream or search for the Vision to Win hashtag: #v2w

One final note: Nancy was on Montana's NPR station, KUFM, last night. You can download and listen to the radio show on the KUFM website (Nancy's segment begins at 11:56 minutes in).

More from Nancy's visit with Susan Wicklund will be posted later. Stay tuned!

Looking back on day one of Vision to Win, it's clear that the rest of the country can learn a lot from Montana on how to cultivate and engage young leaders. NARAL Pro-Choice Montana's staff is comprised of Millennials, as is nearly half of its boards.

We joined with young progressive leaders representing LGBT allies, civil liberties, and many more important causes. We shared the findings from our research project and then turned the floor over to the attendees. Here's what he heard:

• Keep the personal focus on this issue.


• Relate the issue to your community (such as a what is it like for women in your immediate area).


• Talk about choice as a value; don't forget that to appeal to people's hearts, not just their heads.


• Access to abortion is not separate; it is part of the decisions women make, like accessing birth control.

We can't wait to hear more from young leaders in Missoula. (BTW, going across the continental divide is like driving through the clouds.)

In the next 24 hours, I head to my home state of Montana. It will be great to breathe crystal-clear air and be wrapped in the arms of the Rocky Mountains.

I am looking forward to seeing friends who were colleagues and fellow political junkies. I will get to visit with some former classmates at our reunion. (Please, don't ask how what number this reunion is.) And I can't wait to float the North Fork of the Flathead River and watch a Big Sky Sunset.

But this isn't a regular homecoming. I am also there because Montana is the first stop in NARAL Pro-Choice America's multi-state Vision to Win tour, a partnership with state affiliates to further engage grassroots leaders and elected officials in the efforts to protect choice.

Please join us back here or on Twitter and Facebook, as I meet up with pro-choice leaders in Helena, Livingston, and Missoula.

What will we be talking about, exactly? What is the Vision to Win? Why are we starting in Montana? All of these questions are good ones, so let's start from the top.

The election of a pro-choice president and gains in Congress, the defeat of seven anti-choice ballot measures since 2005, and the advancement of multiple pro-choice policies have spurred an intense reaction from our opponents. As we face a galvanized anti-choice opposition, we are committed to strengthening our ties to our pro-choice activist base and inviting even more Americans to join our cause.

In particular, our vision includes focusing on the emerging Millennial Generation (those under 30). This generation is the largest and most diverse in our nation's history. We recently completed ground-breaking research on the attitudes of Millennials who aren't activists regarding abortion rights. That is the first step in an ongoing initiative to ensure that choice-related issues are relevant in their lives and that they connect how the political process affects their ability to make private health decisions or access the services they need. We already know that there are many young women and men actively engaged in protecting choice. The entire staff of NARAL Pro-Choice Montana is comprised of Millennials. We are partnering with the affiliate in meeting with additional young leaders in Big Sky Country.

Our focus on Millennials isn't a one- or two-year effort. It is part of a long-term vision. For example, Montana currently gets a grade of A- when it comes to protecting choice. We're proud of our strong constitutional protection of personal privacy. But, as my friends at NARAL Pro-Choice Montana will tell you, their legislature is evenly divided on choice. In the 20 years that the affiliate has been tracking choice-related votes at the Capitol, the 2009 Session brought the most anti-choice bills ever introduced. Plus, the anti-abortion forces aren't giving up on their quest to put a so-called "personhood" abortion ban on the ballot, even though they failed twice.

In the face of anti-choice opposition, the challenge is to keep Montana as an A- state or move it up to an A in the next five, 10, or 20 years. To do that, we have to listen to and learn from each other. Working together, we will build this roadmap to a pro-choice future and achieve our vision of winning for choice in Montana and across the country.

Ted Miller is the director of communications and online advocacy strategies for NARAL Pro-Choice America.

Please, allow us to "refudiate" Sarah Palin. She's weighing in on the U.S. Senate race in New Hampshire, and she's playing with the facts.

Her description of anti-choice Senate candidate Kelly Ayotte's record requires clarification. When endorsing Ayotte, Palin wrote that, as attorney general, Ayotte "battled all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to protect the rights of New Hampshire parents - and won!" Well, that statement is a surprise to the Supreme Court justices who voted to send Ayotte's case back to a lower court. In short, she didn't win. She didn't even come close.

Furthermore, the law in question was repealed by a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers in New Hampshire about a year after Ayotte failed to make her case before the Supreme Court.

I know, surprise, surprise. Palin is living in her made-up reality. But, this is important. We can't let Palin manufacture distortions about Ayotte's record in the same way she comes up with words that don't appear in the dictionary.

What's the theme here? Well, it's two fold.

First, Granite State voters need to know that Ayotte is on Palin's list, which is way out of the mainstream in a state that gets an A- when it comes to protecting choice. New Hampshire voters like their freedom to make the personal, private decisions that are best for them and their families. Yes, these values include protecting women's access to safe, legal abortion care.

Second, voters have a chance to uphold the state's tradition of standing up for individual freedom and privacy by electing Rep. Paul Hodes as their next U.S. senator. Rep. Hodes has been a great champion of choice since he first won election to the House in 2006. He fought against the Bush administration's dangerous and ineffective "abstinence-only" policies. We know he'll make a great senator. In fact, our PAC endorsed him.

Ayotte lost once before the Supreme Court, and we look forward to making sure she loses once again at the ballot box in November. Go, Hodes!

Paid for by NARAL Pro-Choice America, www.ProChoiceAmerica.org, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.