Pro-Choice Caucus Co-Chairs Celebrate Introduction of the Women's Health Protection Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, joined 206 of their pro-choice colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to introduce the Women's Health Protection Act. They released the following statement:

"With reproductive freedom under attack in states across the nation, it is fitting to close out Women's History Month marking the reintroduction of the landmark Women's Health Protection Act. As Co-Chairs of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, we know that abortion care is health care. Abortion is essential. The American people do not want to move backward, and we cannot—and will not—sit idly by and allow the GOP to roll back the clock on reproductive rights in this country. Today, tomorrow, and every day, the Pro-Choice Caucus will fight to pass this critical bill, to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade, to safeguard the national right to abortion, and to protect reproductive freedom for all so every person is able to access the reproductive care they need.”

H.R. 12, The Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA), creates a statutory right for health care providers to provide abortion care and a corresponding right for their patients to receive that care, free from medically unnecessary restrictions that single out abortion and impede access. It sets up a clear framework for assessing abortion restrictions, preventing states from enacting arbitrary and medically unnecessary barriers to care. WHPA is the only legislation that enshrines the principles of Roe v. Wade into law.