Press Releases

Today, Congresswomen Suzan DelBene (WA-01) and Kim Schrier, MD (WA-08), and Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates – Washington called for the immediate passage of the Women’s Health Protection Act (H.R. 3755), legislation that will protect the right to access abortion across the United States.

On September 1, the Supreme Court failed to act and stop enforcement of a radical six-week abortion ban in Texas. With that 5-4 decision, the new conservative Supreme Court majority gave a preview of what will come to dismantle this constitutional right to abortion.

This fall, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case focused on a 15-week abortion ban in Mississippi that takes aim at the core protections of Roe v. Wade.

“Congress needs to stop this assault on women and make Roe the law of the land through federal statute once and for all,” said DelBene. “Next week, when we head back to Washington, DC, the House will take up the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would protect the right to access abortion throughout the United States no matter what state someone lives in. This is the law to protect against restrictive and medically unnecessary bans like the ones in Texas and Mississippi.”

“The right to a safe, legal abortion is under attack and we need to codify Roe into law to protect women, their health, and their autonomy. As a doctor, I am very concerned about the new law in Texas and others like it,” said Schrier. “Most people, and all doctors know, that at six weeks, most women don’t yet know they are pregnant. The decision to get an abortion should be between a woman and her doctor and it needs to stay that way. Leave politicians out of it.”

“We have entered the most dangerous time for abortion rights in decades, and it is going to be up to all of us to fight back,” said Jennifer Allen, CEO of Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates – Washington. “The Women’s Health Protection Act is such an important step, and we are grateful for our champions in Congress who are working to put an end to, and declare illegal, laws like S.B. 8. We must do all that we can to remain a safe haven in Washington state for abortion rights, and further enshrine these protections into state law while fighting to increase ease of access for all people across the country.”

On September 2, Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that the House would take up the Women’s Health Protection Act when it returns next week.

More information about the Women’s Health Protection Act can be found here. The footage from the event is available here.