WASHINGTON, D.C. - Wash. Sen. Patty Murray has teamed up with New York Sen. Hillary Clinton in protesting a rule proposed by the Bush administration that they say would limit women's access to family planning services and would redefine many methods of contraception as "abortion."

The 39-page document circulating on Capitol Hill was labeled as a draft and a proposed rule. That rule would withhold government funding from health care providers and organizations that refuse to hire workers who won't perform abortions or provide emergency contraception.

Murray and Clinton said the proposed rule change is a "poorly veiled attempt to roll back women's health care options before the current Administration leaves office."

In a letter to Secretary Michael Leavitt, Clinton and Murray said the regulations will increase barriers to obtaining health care services, while weakening health care providers' ability to obtain funding and provide services.

"This misguided attempt to restrict health care services and limit access to contraceptives defeats our common goal of reducing the number of abortions in this country," said Murray.

They said one of the most troubling aspects of the proposed rule is the overly-broad definition of "abortion."

"This definition would allow health-care corporations or individuals to classify many common forms of contraception - including the birth control pill, emergency contraception and IUDs - 'abortions,' and therefore to refuse to provide contraception to women who need it," they said.

Murray and Clinton go on to say "the regulations could even undermine state laws that ensure survivors of sexual assault and rape receive emergency contraception in hospital emergency rooms."

Murray and Clinton successfully led the fight to secure an administration decision on the over-the-counter sale of Plan B emergency contraception after more than three years of delay.

On Thursday, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, Planned Parenthood Public Policy Network of Washington, The ACLU of Washington, the Washington State Affiliate of the National Organization for Women, and the Northwest Women's Law Center denounced the proposed rule.

They say if the proposed regulations are approved, low-income and uninsured women are particularly at risk as any clinic receiving federal funding - such as Medicaid - could refuse to provide contraception services.

"At a time when more and more families are uninsured and under economic assault, we find our healthcare system is in crisis and our president taking steps to deny access to basic care," said Elaine Rose, Executive Director of the Planned Parenthood Public Policy Network of WA.

HHS officials issued a statement on the proposal, but they provided little detail about its status.

"Over the past three decades, Congress has passed several anti-discrimination laws to protect institutional and individual health care providers participating in federal programs," the statement said. "HHS has an obligation to enforce these laws, and is exploring a number of options."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.