Hickenlooper and Bennet Cosponsor Invoice to Enshrine Abortion Rights in Federal Legislation

US Senator John Hickenlooper (D-CO) and US Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), along with more than 40 of their Senate colleagues, have tabled a bill that will guarantee the right to abortion across the country. This would provide crucial protection should the Supreme Court attempt to undermine Roe v. Wade.

The bill, titled Women’s Health Protection Act of 2021, states: “Reproductive justice is a human right that can and will be achieved if all people regardless of actual or perceived race, skin color, national origin, immigration status, gender (including gender ) identity, gender stereotyping or sexual orientation), age or disability status have the economic, social and political power and resources to define and decide their body, health, sexuality, family and community in all areas of life, with dignity and self-determination. “

“For over 50 years the law has supported a woman’s right to make her own health decisions,” said Hickenlooper. “But state parliaments and conservative groups are still working non-stop to get rid of this immediately. We have to Roe v. Protect your calves now and forever. “

Roe v Wade faced a significant challenge last month when the Supreme Court ruled to hear Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health, a case involving a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks of gestation. So far the Supreme Court has upheld his 1973 ruling, but the case poses a direct challenge to Roe unlike any other since its ruling.

With three Trump-appointed judges joining the court since 2016, Roe is at serious risk and court observers and reproductive rights experts await a major blow to the constitutional protection of abortion. If Roe is weakened or overturned, abortion services in the US would be at risk, and half of all states would likely remove legal access to the procedure altogether.

“If the Supreme Court Roe v. Wade picks up next June, 24 states could immediately and completely ban abortion, ”said Karen Middleton, president of Cobalt, a grassroots organization campaigning for reproductive rights in Colorado. “Colorado isn’t one of them – but we don’t have anything that protects access to abortion under state law, so we need the Women’s Health Protection Act.”

The right to abortion is under attack in the US – even though 85% OF VOTERS believe everyone should have access to comprehensive reproductive health care, including * abortion. That is why we need the Women’s Health Protection Act. #ActForAbortionAccess #WHPA pic.twitter.com/d19hF6iA8r

– Cobalt (@CobaltAdvocates) June 8, 2021

The Women’s Health Protection Act was first introduced in 2013 and reintroduced in every subsequent session of the Congress. In 2019, the bill had 43 co-sponsors in the Senate and 217 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives; However, as in all previous meetings, she died in committee before she could go to the vote.

“We have a pro-choice majority in the House of Representatives and we have to act like this,” said MP Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) during a press conference on Tuesday.

So far this year the bill has 45 senatorial co-sponsors and 171 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives. It remains to be seen whether the Women’s Health Protection Act will be voted on at this meeting.

“Everyone deserves the right to make their own health decisions, but politicians across the country are trying to abolish reproductive rights,” said Bennet. “Given the challenges Roe v. For Wade, it is more important than ever for Congress to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act to legislate access to reproductive medicine once and for all. “