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DelBene Cosponsors Bill to Protect Women’s Reproductive Rights in All 50 States

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) today cosponsored the Women’s Health Protection Act (H.R. 1322), a bill that aims to prevent state restrictions from threatening women’s access to reproductive healthcare.

“Nearly 44 years ago, the Supreme Court ruled women have a constitutional right to decide whether and when to have a child. But at no time since 1973 has a woman’s access to reproductive healthcare been more reliant on her income or zip code,” DelBene said. “State politicians across the country are passing harmful laws that block women from exercising their constitutionally protected right to choose. The Women’s Health Protection Act would help combat draconian and medically unnecessary requirements by establishing federal protections against anti-choice measures that do nothing to protect women’s health.”

In 2015 alone, state legislatures saw nearly 400 bills introduced and 47 laws enacted that chip away at women’s reproductive rights. The Women’s Health Protection Act would invalidate medically unnecessary requirements and restrictions on abortion providers and establish a test by which courts review future restrictive measures from states.

Reps. Judy Chu (CA-27), Lois Frankel (FL-22) and Marcia Fudge (OH-11) introduced the legislation Thursday. March is Women’s History Month.

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