Two Years After Roe v. Wade’s fall, PCC Co-Chairs, Members Amplify the Reproductive Freedom Fight Across the Country
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Pro-Choice Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Barbara Lee (D-CA) released the following statement marking two years since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, which overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision and reversed the constitutional rights to abortion and privacy:
“2 years.
17 states with near-total bans.
1000+ state abortion laws enacted.
21+ million women of reproductive age living without access to care.
Countless families impacted by the crisis all around us…”
Throughout the week and on the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson decision, Members of the Pro-Choice Caucus took to their communities to shine a light on the nationwide fight for reproductive freedom, underscore the importance of reproductive health care access, and call to restore and expand the protections of Roe v. Wade.
In Denver, Colorado, Pro-Choice Caucus Co-Chair Diana DeGette (CO-01) welcomed Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra and local reproductive rights advocates and health care leaders. Together, they highlighted Colorado’s role as a safe haven for abortion care and the hundreds of out-of-state patients seeking care in their community.
In San Francisco, California, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (CA-11) hosted a press conference with reproductive rights activists and community health leaders to call on House Republicans to pass the Right to Contraception Act. As a mom, Speaker Emerita Pelosi shared her firsthand experience fighting for this right in Congress and called out the hypocrisy of the GOP blocking those efforts.
In Los Angeles, California, Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), and Senator Alex Padilla also welcomed Secretary Becerra and local leaders to rally against the Dobbs decision and call for federal, nationwide protection of reproductive rights.
In New York, New York, Pro-Choice Caucus International Women’s Rights Task Force Chair Grace Meng (NY-06) and Rep. Nydia Velazquez (NY-07) came together with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to express pride for New York’s abortion access laws and to draw attention to the millions of Americans without access to care after the fall of Roe v. Wade.
In Boston, Massachusetts, Rep. Lori Trahan (MA-03) visited Boston IVF’s Waltham clinic to call on Republicans in Congress to pass the Right to IVF Act, bipartisan legislation to codify nationwide access to IVF and other fertility treatments. Rep. Trahan underwent successful IVF treatment for both of her daughters at the clinic and recognizes that women who currently live in states with extreme Republican abortion bans cannot know for sure that every treatment option will be available to them. In partnership with PCC, Rep. Trahan also launched her office’s Know Your Rights webpage, to share information about reproductive rights and health care access with her constituents.
In Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) visited Main Line Fertility to dive into the actual science and practical realities behind IVF and reiterate that everyone deserves equal access to the tools they need to start a family.
In Chicago, Illinois, Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) spoke at Northwestern's Women’s Health Policy Summit and discussed a range of women's health issues including reproductive health, moving the needle toward a future where everyone can get the care they need.
In Peoria, Illinois, Rep. Eric Sorensen (IL-17) helped reopen the Peoria Planned Parenthood clinic after a violent firebombing, restoring a crucial reproductive health care access point for Illinoisans and those seeking care in his district.
In Louisville, Kentucky, Rep. Morgan McGarvey (KY-03) also joined Planned Parenthood to draw attention to the reproductive health care crisis in Kentucky post-Dobbs and send a clear message: abortion is health care, and this fight isn't over.
In Overland Park, Kansas, Rep. Sharice Davids (KS-03) joined her local Planned Parenthood as well to highlight the impacts of extreme abortion bans and call for immediate action to protect Kansans' reproductive freedoms.
In Raleigh, North Carolina, Rep. Deborah Ross (NC-02) hosted a Reproductive Freedom Summit with North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein and local community and health care leaders to discuss the future of reproductive care and illustrate the danger women in North Carolina are facing.
In Providence, Rhode Island, Rep. Seth Magaziner (RI-02) hosted Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14) and local nurses for a roundtable discussion on their experiences working in health care, including how they have been impacted by the reproductive health care crisis.
In Dallas, Texas, Rep. Colin Allred (TX-32) met with Lauren Miller, a Texan and mom forced to flee the state to access abortion care. Rep. Allred emphasized his continued commitment to fighting for the right of every Texan to access essential health care, including abortion care.
In Miami, Florida, Rep. Frederica Wilson (FL-24) stood with (literally), and for, contraception and condemned Republicans for attempting to undermine access to birth control alongside local reproductive rights advocates and an inflatable IUD.
Dozens of Members also joined the Pro-Choice Caucus on social media to mark the anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson decision and highlight the ongoing fight for reproductive freedom.
The Co-Chairs continued, “With every ban handed down, every provider threatened for acting in their patient’s best interests, every person turned away until they are in life-threatening danger, every child forced to become a parent, and every person driven out of state for essential health care, our resolve only grows. Reproductive freedom now—for everyone—full stop.”
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