I am a citizen of Virginia who strongly objects to the proposed TRAP regulations and I urge you to amend them. The TRAP rules were strategically designed to close the 20 Virginia health clinics that provide abortions. TRAP requires clinics to meet stringent construction regulations to provide a basic health procedure to women who choose one.  These unnecessary, politically-motivated regulations would hurt Virginia women and their families.

TRAP would force clinics to comply with burdensome hospital-standard construction requirements that are completely unrelated to patient safety and that are not required of any other outpatient health center.  Widening hallways and doorways, or installing drinking fountains and telephones in waiting rooms do not provide any proven medical benefits to patients.

TRAP would eliminate a majority of reproductive healthcare providers in Virginia.  This includes clinics that provide critical medical services such as mammograms, cervical cancer screenings, prenatal care, family planning and sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment.  TRAP creates unnecessary obstacles to our Constitutional rights, and limits our access to health care.  These policies would hurt Virginia families like mine.

TRAP regulations are not endorsed by doctors and medical experts. Many respected medical experts have spoken out against TRAP.  I want doctors, not elected officials, and not Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, to make medical decisions and set health regulations in this state.  Private medical decisions should only be made by a woman, her family and her doctor. 

I hope the regulations will be amended so they are based on sound medicine.  I hope you will protect our Constitutional rights and access to high-quality health care.  Thank you.

Lyn Harris