Today, despite the fact that 80% of Americans want abortion to be legal, the U.S. Senate failed to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), legislation that would protect abortion rights in Oregon and across the country.
Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley voted in favor of the legislation. Last year, in a historic vote, the House of Representatives passed WHPA with the support of Reps. Suzanne Bonamici, Peter DeFazio, Earl Blumenauer and Kurt Schrader.
WHPA would establish a statutory right to provide and receive abortion services, prohibiting states from implementing out-of-touch and unconstitutional abortion bans and restrictions, such as the extreme abortion ban that is expected to pass this week in our neighboring state of Idaho. Senate Bill 1309, modeled directly after Texas’ extreme abortion ban, encourages Idahoans to spy on each other for cash rewards and allows them to sue abortion providers if a family member receives an abortion after six weeks.
If Idaho bans abortion, an analysis in The New York Times indicates that Eastern Oregonians could see an up to 35% reduction in abortion access, forced to drive hundreds of miles to the nearest provider in Bend. A study by The Guttmacher Institute indicates that overburdened health centers in Oregon could experience a 234% increase in out-of-state patients — and that’s only the people who would be able to travel extraordinary distances. Those who can’t find the money or get time off work, secure child care, lodging, transportation and other resources necessary to cross state lines would be forced to carry pregnancies against their will or seek abortion outside the healthcare system.
WHPA is needed now more than ever, since the Supreme Court may overturn or severely undermine the protections established by Roe v. Wade this summer, and state legislators have been emboldened to introduce an onslaught of abortion restrictions. Since last year, 13 abortion restrictions have been introduced in Oregon alone.
Statement from Lisa Gardner, President & CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon; Anne Udall, President & CEO of Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette; and An Do, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon:
“Everyone deserves access to safe, legal abortion free of political interference and unnecessary barriers. While the Legislature has protected the right to abortion in Oregon, we know that a threat to abortion access anywhere is a threat to abortion access everywhere. The Women’s Health Protection Act would protect the right to an abortion at the federal level and would be an important step in protecting reproductive freedom. We are deeply grateful for Sens. Wyden and Merkley for standing up for our health and rights, and we know they won’t stop fighting for our rights.”
Abortion restrictions are unpopular: 80% of Americans want abortion to be legal. Nearly 1 in 4 women will have an abortion in their lifetime. While passing WHPA would not grant all people equitable access to abortion and other essential health care overnight, it is an essential step to obtaining reproductive freedom.
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