Courtney Votes to Protect Americans' Right to Privacy, Pushing Back on Efforts to Restrict Americans' Reproductive Health Decisions and Freedom to Travel

Press Release

Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) voted to pass two bills that would push back against tightening restrictions Americans' right to privacy and reproductive health care. Rep. Courtney voted in favor of the Ensuring Women's Right to Reproductive Freedom Act (H.R. 8297), which would ensure that women in America retain the right to travel freely across state lines to obtain a lawful health care services, as well as the Women's Health Protection Act (H.R. 8296), which would restore the right nationwide for a woman to make her own decision about abortion. Both bills were passed by the House of Representatives, and will now await consideration by the Senate.

"There are so many freedoms we've lived by in this country for generations that stem from our basic right to privacy--from who we love, to how we worship, to the decisions made within our own families, or between women and their doctors, about their own health and futures," said Congressman Courtney. "It hasn't taken long for extremists to seize on the rollback of Roe v. Wade, and to start going after other areas of our private lives, like our ability to travel freely and seek out legal care in other states, and there's no reason to expect that they'll stop here. Rest assured, there are those who would gleefully have our own state join the march backwards in time towards a less-free United States of America. These assaults on our privacy demand a strong response--Congress has a duty to protect the freedoms that Americans have counted on for generations, including our basic right to privacy, and I was proud to pass both of these bills in the House today."

Since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down its 49-year-old precedent protecting abortion rights nationwide, Americans have already seen the beginnings of a concerted effort to roll back other freedoms that stem from our basic right to privacy--including the right to freely travel. In state legislatures across the country--like Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and more--legislative proposals are already being formulated that would allow for the prosecution of women and health care providers who engage in abortive health care services even in states where it is legal.

The Washington Post reports that the Thomas More Society--a conservative public interest firm--is drafting model legislation for lawmakers to introduce in state legislatures across the country that would allow private citizens to sue anyone who helps a resident of a state that has banned abortion from seeking such services outside of that state.

From who we love, to how we worship, to what health care decisions are made between a woman and her doctor, there are many freedoms Americans have lived by for generations that stem from our basic right to privacy. The Ensuring Women's Right to Reproductive Freedom Act (H.R. 8297) would help halt the campaign being waged against Americans' right to privacy, protecting women's right to access health care and strengthening other freedoms that Americans have held for generations. Specifically, the bill would:

Protect American's Right to Travel Freely Across State Lines--The bill protects Americans from extremist groups and vigilantes by establishing that no person acting under state law can prevent, restrict, impede, or otherwise retaliate against a person travelling across state lines to obtain a lawful abortion. The bill also prohibits interference against a person or entity's ability to assist someone traveling across a state line for the purpose of obtaining an abortion that is lawful in the state in which the service is to be provided.
Protect Health Care Providers Acting Within the Law--The bill prohibits interference against a health care provider's ability to provide, initiate, or enable an abortion service that is lawful in the state in which the service is to be provided. It also prohibits interference against a person's ability to assist a health care provider to provide, initiate, or enable an abortion service that is lawful in the state in which the service is to be provided.
Protect the Movement of Interstate Commerce--The bill prohibits interference against movement in interstate commerce of any drug approved or licensed by the Food and Drug Administration for the termination of a pregnancy.
The Women's Health Protection Act (H.R. 8296) would restore the right to abortive health care services nationwide, ensuring that all Americans--regardless of where they live--can make their own decisions about their lives and futures. Specifically, the Women's Health Protection Act would:

Re-Establish the Statutory Right to Abortion Services--The bill would re-establish that Americans have a statutory right to receive abortion care, and that health care providers have a statutory right to provide that care, free from state bans and restrictions that are intended to impede or block access.
Restore Access to Abortion Services--The bill would restore abortion access throughout the country, and make it clear that women have the right to seek such care without ideological, stigmatizing, and unnecessary restrictions that block care and undermine a woman's ability to make her own health care decisions.
Rep. Courtney called the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade "a stunning step backwards for the privacy rights of all Americans." Click here to read his full statement.

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