Congress Introduces the Women's Health Protection Act to Protect Abortion Rights

Strategic Insights -

A coalition of lawmakers has introduced a historic bill to safeguard access to abortion care nationwide, just as the Supreme Court prepares to hear a case threatening five decades of precedent protecting reproductive rights. The Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA) has been introduced in the House of Representatives and the Senate, with 176 co-sponsors in the House and 48 in the Senate. The bill aims to stop states like Texas from passing anti-choice laws and ensure that all individuals, regardless of where they live or their background, have equal access to abortion care.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA) is bicameral federal legislation aimed at guaranteeing equal access to abortion care throughout the United States.
  • The bill has 176 total co-sponsors in the House of Representatives and 48 total co-sponsors in the Senate, making it a historic example of bipartisan support for reproductive rights.
  • Introduced in response to the Supreme Court's decision to hear arguments in a case threatening 50 years of precedent protecting access to abortion, the bill seeks to stop states like Texas from passing anti-choice laws.
  • WHPA would codify a person's right to choose, ensuring that access to abortion care is not subject to medically unnecessary restrictions imposed by individual states.
  • Lawmakers have emphasized that the bill is urgent and necessary, particularly as states like Arkansas and Oklahoma have introduced bans on abortion.
  • Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus's Abortion Rights and Access Task Force, has been instrumental in pushing the bill forward, highlighting its importance in protecting reproductive rights nationwide.
  • Advocates like Nancy Northup, President and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, have emphasized that the majority of voters want abortion protected under federal law and that the bill is necessary to stop states from restricting access to necessary healthcare.

Statistics:

  • Since 1973, the Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized abortion as a constitutional right, including in the landmark case of Roe v. Wade.
  • In the last decade, states have passed nearly 500 restrictive laws aimed at undermining or eliminating access to abortion care.
  • Four states have this year passed bans on abortion at six weeks of pregnancy, with some laws not making exceptions for victims of rape or incest.
  • If Roe falls, many states will immediately take action to make abortion a crime, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive legislative action to protect reproductive rights.

Sources:

  • Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) news release, June 8, 2021.
  • [House Document: Women's Health Protection Act (117th Congress) (Available at https://pressley.house.gov/sites/pressley.house.gov/files/Womens%20Health%20Protection%20Act%20117th.pdf)].
  • Center for Reproductive Rights.