This week thousands of women in Washington will be able to find an insurance plan they can afford, thanks to The Affordable Care Act or “Obamacare.”

But for some, these plans will come with restrictions on abortion coverage. And we have Sen. Rodney Tom (48th District) to thank for that.

When Sen. Tom “took over” the Senate in January, he promised a new bipartisan approach. But what happened was far different. He put Sen. Randi Becker in as chair of the Health Care Committee – even though she is a far right conservative who opposes Obamacare and wants to restrict a woman’s private pregnancy decisions.

Sen. Becker refused to even allow a vote of the Reproductive Parity Act, which would have guaranteed that new insurance plans in Washington offer abortion coverage if they also offer maternity care – just as most plans do now.

We can already see the consequences of Sen. Tom’s power grab.

I live and vote in the 48th District, and after seeing Sen. Tom’s true colors, I certainly won’t be voting for him again.

Nancy L. Rising, Kirkland