Congress Moves to Protect Access to Safe, Legal Abortion

States have passed 16 abortion bans in last five months

WASHINGTON — Today, Congress moved to protect access to safe, legal abortion across the country, with the introduction of the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA). Led by reproductive health champions Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and 43 co-sponsors in the Senate, and Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) and 174 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives, this critical piece of legislation would block medically unnecessary abortion restrictions being pushed forward by state politicians.

During 2019 state legislative sessions, more than 290 bills restricting abortion have been filed in 45 states. Nearly half of those restrictions are abortion bans, including those in Kentucky, Ohio, and Georgia. In the past five months alone, 16 abortion bans have passed in statehouses, including in Missouri and Alabama. Seventy-three percent of Americans — including a majority of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans — support access to abortion and do not want to see Roe v. Wade overturned.

Statement from Dr. Leana Wen, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood Federation of America:

This is the legislation that we need to protect women’s access to health care. We applaud this new effort by our champions in Congress to keep politicians from interfering in patient’s personal health decisions and to protect our rights to access to health care, including safe, legal abortion. As a doctor, I am focused on ensuring the health and well-being of women and families. The Women’s Health Protection Act will be a critical effort to help protect people across our country from this unprecedented attack on our rights and freedoms.

On Tuesday, May 21, hundreds of thousands of activists marched at more than 500 events all across the nation to protest abortion bans. Activists gathered on the steps of the Supreme Court and in state capitals across the country, flooding Alabama with rallies, with more than 2,000 gathering in Missouri, and more than 5,000 marching in Oregon. Nearly one in four women will have an abortion in this country.

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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With more than 600 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.