Susan Collins must block the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Judge Kavanaugh’s record indicates that his votes would turn the clock back on reproductive rights and many other civil and human rights that this country has fought long and hard for. Though it has been over 45 years since Roe v. Wade made legalized abortion law, our government continues to limit access to abortion services — which are legal. In 1978-79 I worked in Louisiana at a women’s health clinic that provided abortion services, contraceptive care and well woman care six days a week. Access was easy, services were private, legal and safe. Now, in 2018 in Maine, abortion services are limited to certain days and certain clinics. Access is becoming more and more limited especially with the Title X gag rule being proposed by the Trump administration. We must be able to rely on the Supreme Court to maintain our well established laws of privacy and constitutional rights. Judge Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court will take us back to a time when our privacy was not protected and our right to make decisions about the most intimate parts of our lives did not exist. Abortion will not go away regardless of who sits on the Supreme Court. Access to safe and healthy abortion will.

Susan Collins must ask the tough questions during the confirmation hearings. We need her to vote no to the Kavanaugh nomination. She needs to hear from all of us so that our personal liberties and our right to privacy guaranteed by Roe v Wade are not eroded. Call her; write her. I hope she is listening.

Elayne Richard

Fairfield