Planned Parenthood of Greater New York Statement on the Women's Health Protection Act Senate Vote

“While extremely disappointed, we're glad to have senators like Sen. Schumer & Sen. Gillibrand on our side.”

New York – Today, the vote to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act failed in the Senate. This critical legislation would have helped to protect the right to abortion throughout the United States and safeguard against cruel abortion restrictions being pushed forward by state politicians.

In 2021, more than 100 abortion restrictions were signed into law – the most since Roe v. Wade nearly 50 years ago. This includes Texas’s unconstitutional law that bans abortion at around six weeks of pregnancy. More than 230 abortion restrictions have already been introduced across 39 states in 2022.

The onslaught of abortion attacks across the country is devastating and most harmful to the same people who have always faced systemic barriers to care -- young people, families with low incomes, and Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ communities.

Statement from Joy D. Calloway, Interim President and CEO, Planned Parenthood of Greater New York:

“A vote against the historic Women’s Health Protection Act was a vote against the rights of people to make their own decisions about their lives, their bodies, and their futures. Eighty percent of Americans want abortion to remain legal. It’s not controversial: Abortion is safe, essential health care.”
 

“The Women’s Health Protection Act could have done for our country, what the Reproductive Health Act did for New York – guarantee safe, legal abortion for everyone – no matter their race, income, or zip code. While extremely disappointed in the outcome of the vote, we are glad to have Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand, and all our fierce reproductive rights champions, stand up for equal access to abortion. Planned Parenthood of Greater New York remains committed to connecting New Yorkers, and people across the country, to life-saving health care, which will always include safe, legal abortion."

Planned Parenthood of Greater New York and other state champions showed the rest of the country what happens when we join forces to protect abortion rights when we passed the Reproductive Health Act (RHA) in 2019. RHA codified the protections of Roe in New York State law, ensuring access to abortion remains safe and legal despite federal restrictions.

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Planned Parenthood of Greater New York (PPGNY) is a leading provider of sexual and reproductive health care and education, a fierce advocate, and a committed partner to advance equity and improve health outcomes for all. PPGNY offers a wide range of services at 23 health centers across 65% of the state - including gynecological care, birth control, cancer screenings, pregnancy testing, STI testing and treatment, transgender hormone therapy, vasectomy, and HIV prevention, testing, and counseling. PPGNY is also proud to provide medication and surgical abortion services to anyone who needs compassionate, non-judgmental care. PPGNY is a trusted source of medically accurate, evidence-based information that allows people to make informed decisions about their health and future.  As a voice for reproductive freedom, PPGNY supports legislation and policies that ensure all New Yorkers have access to the full range of reproductive health services and education.