Justin's Political Corner

Congressional Democrats are helping their party court women voters at their national convention in Charlotte this week.

A report (PDF) released Wednesday by Democrats on the House Energy & Commerce Committee counts 55 “anti-women” bills House Republicans have passed since they took over in 2011. They range from restricting abortion rights and de-funding women’s health programs to slashing food security and weakening domestic violence protections.

“The Republican-controlled House has become the most anti-women House in modern history,” said E&C’s top Democrat, Rep. Henry Waxman (CA).

Some of the bills aren’t specific to women, such as the House GOP’s vote to scrap the health care reform law’s Prevention and Public Health Fund for fighting diseases and promoting wellness. But supporters of these programs have long argued that the affected services disproportionately benefit women.

The committee’s report serves as a resource for Democrats campaigning on the argument that the Republican platform is anti-women.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius mentioned women 10 times, and painted an unpleasant picture of what a Romney-Ryan administration would mean for gender equality.

“Romney and Ryan will take away women’s basic health services and turn a blind eye to insurance discrimination,” she said. “President Obama stands up for women, giving us control over our own health care.”

Since Jan. 2011, House Republicans have tried to chip away at scores of social programs and business regulations while rolling back access to abortion.

h/t: Sahil Kapur at TPM