Blumenthal Calls for Action to Protect Reproductive Health on 49th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade
[HARTFORD, CT] – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), author and lead Senate sponsor of the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), joined state leaders and reproductive rights advocates today in Hartford, Connecticut to mark the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the historic U.S. Supreme Court decision that affirmed the right to abortion.
The Supreme Court is currently reviewing a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade for the first time since the case was decided. Today, Blumenthal urged the Senate to approve WHPA, which would guarantee equal access to abortion everywhere by overturning and halting medically unnecessary restrictions on abortion care that interfere with a patient’s individual choice or the provider-patient relationship. The legislation passed the House of Representatives 218-211 and is awaiting action by the Senate.
“Connecticut is at the forefront of protecting a woman’s right to choose, setting a model and example for the United States Congress,” Blumenthal said. “It’s a dark time because Roe is hanging by a thread, literally. This gathering may be our last celebration of Roe v. Wade. The court is unlikely to ever say we are overturning Roe v. Wade, but make no mistake, if it upholds the Mississippi ban on abortions after 15 weeks, it has overturned Roe v. Wade. It is on the cusp of overturning and eviscerating the protections of Roe.”
“It isn’t just Texas or Mississippi, 19 states across the country and counting are adopting these restrictive measures, and fighting those restrictions means not just the Women’s Health Protection Act, but also our support for state action like we’re seeing right here in Connecticut,” Blumenthal continued. “If we can stop other states from restricting these rights, if we can provide a reservoir of strength, if we can meet the challenge of enabling women to come here and make use of our providers, if we can in effect provide an oasis in the midst of this struggle, Connecticut will continue to lead the nation.”
The video of the press conference is available here.
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