LEADER JEFFRIES: "THE DOBBS DECISION RESTRICTED, LIMITED AND UNDERMINED FREEDOM"
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Yesterday, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press event with House Democratic leadership and Pro-Choice Caucus leadership to mark one year since the disastrous Dobbs decision undermined the freedom of millions of women across America. Leader Jeffries also highlighted that House Democrats – led by Rep. Diana DeGette, Rep. Barbara Lee and Rep. Judy Chu – have introduced a discharge petition to bring the Women's Health Protection Act to the floor.
LEADER JEFFRIES: We are here today, as House Democrats, joined by advocates from all across the country. Once again we've made clear our unwavering, unyielding and unequivocal support for reproductive freedom and for the Women's Health Protection Act. I want to begin by thanking Representative Judy Chu, the lead sponsor of this very important piece of legislation, this critically significant piece of legislation, as well as everyone who has joined us today. In particular, two Co-Chairs of the Pro-Choice Caucus, Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congresswoman Diana DeGette, two fierce advocates for reproductive freedom.
Under the leadership of Speaker Emerita Pelosi – and doesn't it feel good to be in the Pelosi Room – a space for liberty and justice for all, under the leadership of Speaker Emerita Pelosi, House Democrats passed the Women's Health Protection Act not once, but twice. And now, as we stand on the eve of the Dobbs decision, one of the most egregious and offensive decisions that the Supreme Court has ever rendered. Brown v. Board of Education is in the Supreme Court Hall of Fame. The Dobbs decision is in the Supreme Court Hall of Shame. Because, unlike other enlightened decisions that the Supreme Court has reached throughout the years, which enhance freedom, the Dobbs decision restricted and limited and undermined freedom for women all across America.
And so, we have launched this motion to discharge effort for an up or down vote on the Women's Health Protection Act. It now has support and signatures from 210 Democrats. And so, we're only eight Members short to bring this enlightened, important piece of legislation to the floor of the House of Representatives. We're committed to making sure that we do everything necessary for that to happen. As Democrats, we believe in a woman's freedom to make her own reproductive health care decisions. As Democrats, we will continue to stand on the side of women. We'll continue to stand on the side of reproductive freedom. We'll continue to stand on the side of access to health care because abortion care is health care. And it is health care that everyone should have access to in the United States of America.
So, we will oppose extreme MAGA Republican efforts to criminalize abortion care. We will oppose extreme Republican efforts to impose a nationwide abortion ban. We will oppose extreme MAGA Republican efforts to limit access to contraception. We will stand up for reproductive freedom. We'll stand up for reproductive freedom today, we'll stand up for reproductive freedom tomorrow, we'll stand up for reproductive freedom forever. And we will continue to show up and speak up and stand up until the Women's Health Protection Act is the law of the land.
Full press conference can be watched here.