Murray leads fight against Republican efforts to end the right to abortion
Senate Democrats will force a vote on the Women’s Health Protection Act
Senator Murray: “[Republicans have] spent the last few days trying to distract everyone from the consequences of their unrelenting attacks on the right to abortion. Well we’re here to say we won’t let them… We’re going to make every Senator show where they stand by voting on the Women’s Health Protection Act.”
***VIDEO OF SENATOR MURRAY’S REMARKS HERE**
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) led and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), led a press conference with the Democratic women of the Senate to speak out against Republicans’ incessant attacks on the right to abortion in light of recent reporting on a leaked decision showing the Supreme Court is preparing to overrule Roe v. Wade. They also announced that next week the Senate will vote on the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), landmark legislation to protect the right to abortion.
“[Republicans] are finally getting what they’ve been working around the clock to do for decades. But despite all that, it’s been crickets from Republicans this week. They’ve spent the last few days trying to distract everyone from the consequences of their unrelenting attacks on the right to abortion. Well, we’re here to say we won’t let them,” said Senator Murray. “We may very soon live in a country without Roe. A country where women are forced to remain pregnant and give birth when they don’t want to—no matter their personal circumstances. And we all know who is going to be hurt the most when this happens. It’s not rich women, who can catch a plane, and get the time off, and find the money to get an abortion. It’s women who already face huge challenges and barriers getting health care—we’re talking about longstanding inequities in our health care system: things like racism, sexism, and ableism. The women who will bear the brunt of the Republicans’ cruelty are: women with the tightest budgets, Black women, Indigenous women, women of color, women with disabilities, women in rural areas, immigrant women, the LGBTQ community, and so many others. This is cruel and unacceptable and Democrats are fighting back.”
“So next week—in light of this devastating news coming out of the Supreme Court—we’re going to make every Senator show where they stand by voting on the Women’s Health Protection Act,” Murray continued. “And I want everyone to know: I am not going to stop fighting or speaking up.”
See Senator Murray’s full remarks below.
“There’s no getting around it: this has been a heartbreaking week. The Supreme Court’s plan to end a right that generations of women have known is devastating.
“So I just want every woman across the country to know: you are not alone in this fight. I am right beside you.
“And although I am heartbroken, I am also furious. Furious at the conservatives on the Supreme Court for being so cruel. Furious at Republican lawmakers in states across the country who are passing extreme abortion bans and creating health care crises in their states—and neighboring states. And furious at the fact that my Republican colleagues here in the Senate have filled our courts with extreme, anti-abortion judges, and taken every opportunity to attack the right to abortion—and even the birth control and family planning services that patients across the country rely upon.
“They are finally getting what they’ve been working around the clock to do for decades. But despite all that, it’s been crickets from Republicans this week. They’ve spent the last few days trying to distract everyone from the consequences of their unrelenting attacks on the right to abortion.
“Well, we’re here to say we won’t let them.
“We may very soon live in a country without Roe. A country where women are forced to remain pregnant and give birth when they don’t want to—no matter their personal circumstances.
“And we all know who is going to be hurt the most when this happens: It’s not rich women, who can catch a plane, and get the time off, and find the money to get an abortion.
“It’s women who already face huge challenges and barriers getting health care—we’re talking about longstanding inequities in our health care system: things like racism, sexism, and ableism.
“The women who will bear the brunt of the Republicans’ cruelty are: women with the tightest budgets, Black women, Indigenous women, women of color, women with disabilities, women in rural areas, immigrant women, the LGBTQ community, and so many others.
“This is cruel and unacceptable and Democrats are fighting back.
“So next week—in light of this devastating news coming out of the Supreme Court—we’re going to make every Senator show where they stand by voting on the Women’s Health Protection Act.
“I want to thank Senator Blumenthal for his work building support for this critical bill.
“And I want everyone to know: I am not going to stop fighting or speaking up—and when November comes, Americans everywhere need to make their voices heard by sending more pro-choice voices to the Senate and the House so that we can get this done.
“Abortion rights are on the line—and so are women’s lives.
“Thank you.”