Senate’s Failure to Act Puts Reproductive Rights in Jeopardy

Economic Justice News, Economic Justice Resources, Health Care News, Health Care Resources 05.11,22

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Contact: Charmaine Riley, [email protected], 202.548.7166

WASHINGTON – Maya Wiley, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement after the Senate failed to advance the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2022: 

“64 million. There are 64 million women and girls of child-bearing age in this country. The Senate just failed every last one by failing to advance the Women’s Health Protection Act. About half live in states that could violate the most basic principles of freedom and liberty and a fundamental right, protected for a half century. It is beyond irresponsible. It is an outrage. 

“If the leaked draft opinion holds, low-income people seeking an abortion will not be able to afford to get to states that will care for their reproductive health. What of them? Black women and American Indian and Native Alaskan women die at two to three times the rate of White women in pregnancy-related complications. LGBTQ individuals, including non-binary people and transgender men, will have their health at risk. 

Every person deserves the ability to make the health care decisions that are right for them, free from government interference and discrimination. 

“Abortion rights are fundamental rights. We will not stand idly by as the attacks on reproductive freedom and personal health continue. We will work in coalition, fighting for abortion access and local and state-level protections, and we will do so as long as it takes.” 

The Leadership Conference, along with 92 groups, on Tuesday urged the Senate to pass S. 4132, the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2022. Read that letter here.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 230 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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