Pro-Choice Caucus Announces New Name, Leadership for 119th Congress
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus (PCC) announced Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) will succeed former Congresswoman and Caucus Co-Chair Barbara Lee (CA-12), joining Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01) as Co-Chair for the 119th Congress. The Caucus also announced its new name: the Congressional Reproductive Freedom Caucus.
In the two and a half years since Roe v. Wade fell, our constituents across the country have suffered devastating consequences. In the 118th Congress, the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus heard their calls and fought. We led amici briefs with record-breaking support in the House and Senate and introduced discharge petitions with unprecedented numbers of signatories. Our Members held events in more than half of all U.S. states, visiting health care providers, leading town halls, and bringing people together in their communities to highlight this critical issue.
As we begin the new Congress, we are clear-eyed about the dire threats that lie ahead from the Republican party’s extreme anti-freedom agenda. Once again, we will meet the moment and fight for the people who sent us here. Reflecting the scope of our work and the clear clarion call of our mission, in the 119th Congress, our Caucus will be named the Reproductive Freedom Caucus.
“The freedom to decide if, when, and how to start a family is one of our most sacred rights as Americans. And the majority of Americans across political backgrounds support reproductive freedom,” said Mini Timmaraju, President and CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All. “Congratulations to the newly named Reproductive Freedom Caucus for their steadfast leadership. We look forward to continuing to work with the caucus in 2025 and beyond to protect abortion access, contraceptive equity, and assisted reproductive technologies like IVF from further attack”
As we honor the legacy of our outgoing Co-Chair and fearless reproductive justice champion, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, we have the privilege of welcoming a new Co-Chair to our effort: Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley.
“During my six-year tenure in Congress, I have fought alongside my colleagues in the Pro-Choice Caucus to make reproductive freedom a reality for every single person who calls this country home. As we brace ourselves for a hostile administration and Republican Congress hell-bent on stripping away our fundamental freedoms, I am more resolved than ever to continue this critical work as Co-Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus,” said Co-Chair Ayanna Pressley (MA-07). “It is a deep honor to follow in the footsteps of my friend and mentor Congresswoman Barbara Lee, and to build upon my yearslong partnership and deep appreciation for Congresswoman DeGette as we co-chair this caucus together. I am clear-eyed, and I look forward to working with our members to protect, restore, and expand abortion rights for everyone in America.”
"Serving alongside Rep. Barbara Lee as co-chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus has been an incredible honor,” said Co-Chair Diana DeGette (CO-01). “Her unwavering leadership to defending reproductive rights, despite relentless attacks, have inspired our movement. As we continue this fight for reproductive freedom, I’m thrilled to welcome Rep. Ayanna Pressley as the Caucus co-chair. Her fierce advocacy and bold vision will strengthen our efforts at this critical moment. Together, we will honor Rep. Lee’s legacy and continue the fight for reproductive freedom for all.”
We have never lost sight of our mission, and we never will. The Pro-Choice Caucus and our Members pursued a robust reproductive freedom agenda in the 118th Congress—one that would give every person in America the right to make decisions about their own bodies and ensure access to quality reproductive health care. Our movement has never been more critical, and as the Congressional Reproductive Freedom Caucus, we face the 119th Congress with unyielding determination, together.
“Reproductive freedom has always been central to the work that Reps. Barbara Lee and Diana DeGette led together in the House, and we are thrilled to see this energy and commitment reflected in the caucus’ new name,” saidAlexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “As the torch passes from Rep. Lee to Rep. Ayanna Pressley — another tireless advocate — the caucus’s unwavering commitment to protecting our reproductive rights remains the same. The dedication and passion of this caucus will continue to be essential in fighting back against anti-abortion lawmakers’ relentless assaults on reproductive rights. Planned Parenthood Federation of America is proud to work alongside the Reproductive Freedom Caucus as we gear up for the critical fights ahead.”
“This is more than a simple name change; it represents a bold and expansive vision to empower every person to make decisions about their bodies, health, and families,” said Dr. Regina Davis Moss, President and CEO of In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, Lupe M. Rodríguez, Executive Director of National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, and Sung Yeon Choimorrow, Executive Director of National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum—the leaders of Intersections of Our Lives. “With the incoming Administration poised to undermine reproductive rights and access, the work of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus is more urgent than ever. The planned formation of a Reproductive Justice Task Force within the Caucus takes this mission further, shifting the focus beyond the legal right to abortion to a frame that improves access to care for all of us. It aims to champion policies that ensure true bodily autonomy and the ability to thrive—especially for women of color, who have not only been the most harmed by attacks on our health and rights but have also led the fight for justice and change at every step.”
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