To Whom It May Concern:

I urge you to protect women's health care and ensure that the temporary regulations put on women's health centers end.  These regulations threaten the continued availability of safe and legal abortions in many locations throughout Virginia.  The requirements for clinic buildings are irrelevant and unnecessary and have no medical benefit will reduce and possibly eliminate altogether patient access to health care.  These regulations are simply more burdens to health care for patients, and many of the women who go to the women's health centers are already significantly financially burdened.

Regardless of your stance on abortion, the fact remains it is legal in this country.  Abortion is one of the safest and most common medical procedures, and overregulation of women's health centers will limit access not only to a safe and legal procedure, but it will also limit access to cancer screenings, family planning, and STI testing and treatment. 

Please look only at medical fact and scientific evidence when you consider these regulations.  There is no medical benefit to these stringent regulations.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Zacharias Owens