Rep. Smith, House Democrats Pass Two Bills to Safeguard Abortion Rights

Press Release

Today the House of Representatives passed the Ensuring Women's Right to Reproductive Freedom Act by a vote of 223 to 205 and the Women's Health Protection Act by a vote of 219 to 210 in response to the Supreme Court's dangerous decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which revoked the constitutional right to abortion.

"In the aftermath of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and strip millions of Americans of their right to access abortion, at least nine states across the country have banned abortion, with more states expected to ban or severely restrict abortion in the coming weeks. The gravity of this ruling cannot be overstated, both in terms of reproductive freedom and privacy, and we know Republicans intend to pass a federal abortion ban if they retake control of Congress. Democrats know the threat we face, and today, we took action to protect Americans' freedoms.

"I was proud to vote for the Ensuring Women's Right to Reproductive Freedom Act, which would provide support to people who are already suffering from the consequences of the Court's decision. This crucial bill would protect people from being prosecuted if they need to travel across state lines to receive abortion care. I also voted for the Women's Health Protection Act to create a statutory right to receive and provide an abortion, so that every person across the country can access essential reproductive health care, regardless of their zip code or income. Importantly, this bill would protect both patients and providers who are being unjustly targeted by state laws that are attempting to criminalize abortion.

"While the action by the House today reflects the will in Congress to defend access to abortion and reproductive health care for every person across the country, these bills will now go to the Senate where their fate is not as promising. As I have said before, we must immediately end the filibuster so that we can put an end to minority rule in our country and pass legislation into law that the overwhelming majority of Americans want and need. Our fight for reproductive freedom depends on it."

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