"Face the Nation," June 25, 2023
Interview
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Good morning.
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Well, Margaret, the - the House Democrats have passed the Women's Health Care Protection Act. We did that both sessions of Congress, the last two, when we had a majority. But as you know, and as the American people know, we did not have a wide enough majority in the Senate. In the Senate because of the filibuster, the Senate has not acted on protecting access and women's freedom to have access to abortion care.
But it is really important that we look at what's happened since Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Republican-controlled Supreme Court. We have seen 23 million women lose access to reproductive health care. We've seen 18 states enact harsh abortion bans. And we have also seen every single Republican nominee express support for a federal national abortion ban. We cannot go in that direction, and that's why these upcoming elections are critically important.
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We have seen grassroots mobilization at the state level. We've seen states such as --
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I'm sorry?
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Well, states are making every efforts and grassroots organizations and women across the country are working to put in protections at the state constitutional level. But the challenge that we will face, should Republicans maintain control of the House and gain control of the Senate or the White House, is that we would see national restrictions that are harsher and more serious than - than what we see today.
So, we've got a very - we've got a huge challenge on our hands in the sense that women's reproductive freedoms continue to be rolled back. And the only way to win that is by winning elections. Both making sure that we flip the House and regain control, and that we elect a wide enough margin, a filibuster proof majority, or senators willing to lift the majority to protect women, and we've got to maintain the White House.
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The national consensus, Margaret, is that 80 percent of Americans do not agree with the overturning of Roe v. Wade. That is --
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Well, we -- again, we -- Democrats passed the Women's Health Care Protection Act in the House.
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And the challenge in the Senate is that you need a super majority.
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You need 60 votes.
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And so, right, which is why we need to win elections this -- next November. And, furthermore, we've got to retain the White House because there's only one person who will be on the ballot next November, and that's President Biden, who has promised and committed to fighting for women's reproductive freedom. Make no mistake about it -
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As much as Nikki Haley wants to talk about finding consensus here and there, the bottom line is all these --
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Yes, but -
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Can - can you imagine that's --
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That's their - that's where they want to allow consensus?
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Well, I -- my perspective, and I think the vast majority of Americans' perspectives, is, we want the protections under Roe v. Wade restored. Eighty percent. And, in fact, even 65 percent -
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I'm sorry?
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Roe v. Wade essentially protects a women's right to access abortion. And what we are seeing in states like my own, in Texas, where the rollbacks have happened and the bans are occurring, is that even in cases where women's health is at risk, politicians don't really care about the health of the woman.
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