Today the House of Representatives passed the Women’s Health Protection Act and the Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act. Both now go to the Senate.
President & CEO of Physicians for Reproductive Health and ob/gyn in DC Dr. Jamila Perritt responds:
“I am thrilled to see continued support of abortion access in the House of Representatives. Today’s votes on the Women’s Health Protection Act and the Equal Access for Abortion Act are critical steps towards needed protections for communities facing confusing and quickly changing abortion restrictions and bans. I thank the leadership in the House for making this happen.
“While today’s votes to protect abortion access and those who travel to get needed abortion care is important, this is just a first step. We now must put our effort into encouraging Senators from across the country to respond to the needs of their communities in this critical moment. In the face of the implications of the overturn of Roe, we need bold leadership from legislators to be in step with the bold visions of organizers and activists. We need our political leadership to listen and respond to the needs of patients, providers, lawyers, and advocates.
“This is not a theoretical risk. We are talking about our lives. We are talking about livelihoods. And if a matter of these high stakes is not enough to make legislators pay attention and act with urgency, I’m not sure what will. I’m endlessly grateful for the perseverance, courage, and resilience of the abortion providers, abortion storytellers, and allies in our community who will not stop until every person can access the abortion care they need. We will build the future we dream of, all it takes is acting with the care and compassion our communities need and deserve.”