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McCollum Statement on Passage of Women’s Health Protection Act

September 24, 2021

WHPA codifies Roe v. Wade protections into federal law

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) issued the following statement today after voting to pass H.R. 3755, the Women's Health Protection Act:

"It has been nearly 50 years since the Supreme Court confirmed the constitutional right to reproductive health care in the Roe v. Wade decision," McCollum said. "Even though the majority of Americans recognize and support the importance of safe, accessible abortion, attacks on reproductive rights continue across the nation. As we watch Republican-controlled state legislatures pass increasingly restrictive measures, it is past time to solidify the right to abortion in federal law. I proudly voted for the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA) to finally codify the protections established in Roe v. Wade. Despite Republican rhetoric, their extreme movement only seeks to deny women the fundamental liberty to make deeply personal decisions about their own reproductive lives. These decisions should remain between a patient and their doctor. Make no mistake: Stripping away women's rights to privacy is unacceptable, and with the passage of this bill, House Democrats are creating a legislative safeguard. I strongly urge the Senate to pass this bill immediately and stand up for accessible reproductive health care for all."

Amid a dangerous assault on women's basic health freedoms – from state houses across the country to the U.S. Supreme Court – this landmark legislation enshrines into law the vital protections of Roe v. Wade and secures the right to reproductive care for all women across America. The Women's Health Protection Act codifies the constitutional right to abortion care as found in Roe and reaffirmed in many subsequent decisions for nearly half a century. It establishes the federal statutory right for health care providers to offer abortion care and the federal right for patients to receive that care, free from state restrictions. Enshrining these essential rights is also an issue of racial and economic justice, as restrictions on reproductive care disproportionately harm women of color and women from low-income communities.

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