"In recent years there hasn't been much good news coming out of Washington on family planning and reproductive health issues. That's probably the understatement of the year. But today there is very good news to report because of yesterday evening's votes in the Senate.

This repudiation of some of the most egregious and harmful aspects of U.S. international family planning and reproductive health policy marks a major -- and long overdue -- victory for sound public health. And to put it in historical perspective, the Senate vote today is the first time since the Gag Rule has been in force -- from 1984 to 1993 and again since 2001 -- that both the House and the Senate have passed legislation to repeal or modify the restriction. This is significant in light of the all-important showdown that looms with the White House over President Bush's threatened veto of the entire $34 billion foreign assistance bill over the Gag Rule provisions." - Tod Preston, Population Action International

Read more here.

It's not often we get good news in terms of reproductive rights and health in the United States these days, so in the rare times we get it, we get pretty excited around here.

And this is Very Good News.