Menendez, Booker, Democratic Colleagues Introduce Resolution in Support of Women's Reproductive Rights
Press Release
U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker joined a group of their Democratic colleagues in the Senate, and introduced a resolution supporting women's reproductive rights in the U.S, including the right to safe, legal abortion.
The resolution, which affirms the lawmakers' 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 was also cosponsored by Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Michel Bennet (D-Colo.),Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), 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.), Senator 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.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Senator 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 Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.).
A corresponding resolution was introduced by House Democrats.
Read the full resolution below and a PDF of it here.
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
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.
Source