NARAL Pro-Choice America Applauds Passage of the Women's Health Protection Act and Bill to Protect Those Traveling for Abortion Care

Today, Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA) by a vote of 219-210. It now moves to the Senate, where Republicans have previously blocked it from advancing twice. This legislation would protect the right to abortion throughout the United States at a time when extremist lawmakers in multiple states are enforcing total bans on abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Another bill to advance reproductive freedom, the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act of 2022, also passed by a vote of 223-205. This measure seeks to ensure people can travel to access abortion care.

NARAL Pro-Choice America President Mini Timmaraju released the following statement:

"Time and again Democratic leaders have demonstrated their unwavering commitment to reproductive freedom in this dire moment for abortion rights and access, and they've reaffirmed that today. The vast majority of Americans oppose the overturning of Roe--8 in 10 support the legal right to abortion. We applaud Democrats in the House for passing these crucial bills and for standing with the majority of Americans who want their leaders to protect our fundamental rights. At a time when abortion rights are in crisis, it's a disgrace that not a single House Republican voted to safeguard our right to abortion--and when Americans head to the polls to vote this November, they will remember which politicians failed them."

Last month, the anti-choice supermajority on the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. This cruel decision opened the door for extremist state lawmakers to enact bans on abortion. As if staging the demise of Roe wasn't bad enough, extremist Republicans in roughly half of the states in the country are looking to ban abortion, with eleven states already enforcing bans, and many more rushing to do the same. Anti-choice lawmakers are also drafting proposals to prohibit people from traveling across state lines to access care. The people hurt most by these bans and restrictions are those who already face barriers to accessing abortion care--including women; Black, Indigenous, and other people of color; those working to make ends meet; the LGBTQ+ community; immigrants; young people; those living in rural communities; and people with disabilities. As WHPA moves to the Senate, Americans will be watching to see whether congressional Republicans will fight for reproductive freedom, or if they'll betray our trust yet again by refusing to protect our most fundamental rights.