Feinstein, Harris, Senate Democrats Highlight Support for Women’s Reproductive Rights
Washington – On Wednesday, Senators Dianne Feinstein, Kamala Harris (both D-Caif.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), along with 40 of their Democratic colleagues in the Senate, in introducing a resolution supporting women’s reproductive rights in the U.S. The resolution, which affirms their support of women’s access to reproductive health care and women’s right to make their own health care decisions, comes on the heels of legislative efforts in Georgia, Alabama, and other states intended to undermine women’s reproductive rights and ultimately overturn Roe v. Wade. The resolution is one of many ways people across the country have stood up and spoken out against the efforts to undermine the constitutionally protected right to safe, legal abortion.
Along with Feinstein, Harris, Murray and Schumer the resolution was cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Angus King (I-Maine), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.).
A corresponding resolution was introduced by House Democrats.
Read the full resolution here and below.
Resolution Supporting U.S. Reproductive Health Care
Whereas, Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973) upholds the constitutional right to privacy, including in health care decisions and the right to access abortion care;
Whereas, Roe v. Wade demonstrates quality legal reasoning and is consistent with related precedent since it was based on sound legal principles first established in Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) and Eisenstadt v. Baird (1972), and repeatedly reaffirmed by the Supreme Court, including in Obergefell v. Hodges (2015);
Whereas, the facts that have developed since Roe v. Wade was decided reaffirm that people of the United States support the right to choose, that abortion is a medically safe procedure, and that access to reproductive health care provides women with greater economic opportunities;
Whereas, the rights established in Roe v. Wade have been relied upon in this country for almost 50 years;
Whereas, a majority of people of the United States support access to abortion care;
Whereas, while the State of Alabama, the State of Georgia and other States passed laws in 2019 that clearly seek to overturn Roe v. Wade and are unconstitutional; meanwhile in 2018 there were over 60 bills introduced in more than 21 States to protect and expand access to reproductive care;
Whereas, low-income individuals and women of color are disproportionally impacted by restricting access to abortion care; and
Whereas, when States have enacted laws in violation of Roe v. Wade, health clinics close and health care services disappear: Now, therefore, be it
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Resolved, by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring) That Congress supports efforts to –
(1) Ensure that all women can access comprehensive, unbiased, information and make their own health care decisions;
(2) Promote preventive health care services for women;
(3) Ensure that all women have access to comprehensive, affordable health care that includes pregnancy-related care, including prenatal care, miscarriage management, family planning services, abortion care, labor and delivery services, and postnatal care; and
(4) Improve women’s access to reproductive health care regardless of the State in which they reside.
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