Rep. David Trone Votes for Legislation to Codify Abortion Rights into Federal Law
Press Release
Today, Representative David Trone (MD-06) voted to codify abortion rights into federal law by helping to pass the Women's Health Protection Act and the Ensuring Women's Right to Reproductive Freedom Act. Both bills were brought to the floor of the House of Representatives after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade (1973) last month.
Since the Supreme Court's decision, at least nine states have banned abortion, and half of all states across the country are expected to ban or severely limit abortion in the weeks and months to come. Some lawmakers have even proposed hardline legislation aimed at blocking women from crossing state lines to obtain an abortion and criminalizing those who help them.
"Women should have the freedom to make decisions about their own bodies, period," said Rep. Trone. "The Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is devastating and will impact the lives of millions of women across this country. We know that restricting abortion doesn't stop abortion from happening, it only stops safe abortion. It's time for Congress to step up and take action so that every woman has the right to make health care decisions about her own body and her own future. "
The Women's Health Protection Act establishes a federal right for health care providers to offer abortion care and for patients to receive that care, free from state restrictions. Study after study shows that restricting reproductive care disproportionately harms women of color and women from low-income communities.
The Ensuring Women's Right to Reproductive Freedom Act protects Americans by ensuring no person acting under state law can prevent, restrict, impede, or otherwise retaliate against a person traveling across state lines to obtain a lawful abortion. lt also affirms the U.S. Attorney General's enforcement authority to bring civil actions in cases where a person is prevented in any way from traveling across state lines to obtain a lawful abortion.
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