Dems: House GOP backed 55 votes on 'anti-women policies'

House Republicans have held more than 50 votes on "anti-woman" policies during the last two years, according to Democrats on the Energy and Commerce Committee.

In a new report, the Democrats say 55 GOP-sponsored votes favored policies to "undermine women’s health, roll back women’s rights and defund programs and institutions that provide support for women."

Democrats are aiming to shore up the women's vote by placing a special focus on women's health issues before November. Abortion, contraception and the 2010 healthcare law have already played a prominent role in the Democratic convention now under way in Charlotte, N.C. 

In a statement, Energy and Commerce Committee ranking member Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) called the current House "the most anti-women ... in modern history."

"I have worked for decades to promote equality for women, but the bipartisan support for women’s programs that used to exist in Congress has been shattered by Tea Party extremism," he said.

According to the report, the House took 17 votes that would "allow health insurance companies to discriminate against women," while 11 votes would have "cut women's access to preventive care."

Ten "restricted or rolled back abortion rights," the report stated, and others cut key nutrition programs or "weakened" violence and discrimination protections for women.

"It’s the year 2012, yet American women are still disproportionately hurt by Republican stonewalling on basic issues, such as family planning, protection against domestic violence, reproductive rights and nutrition assistance for pregnant women and children," said Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) in a statement.

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