Washington, D.C. — This evening, the Senate is poised to vote on S. 2311, bringing legislation that would block women’s access to abortion after 20 weeks gestation one step closer to the President’s desk. The House of Representatives voted 237-189 in early October 2017 to pass the bill, and President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have vocalized support for the bill. S 2311 is a dangerous bill based on junk science that will severely limit women’s access to a safe, legal medical procedure. This ban will disproportionately harm low-income women and women of color, as these groups already grapple with barriers in access to vital health care that contribute to higher rates of unintended pregnancies, financial insecurity, and lack of insurance coverage. Jamila Taylor, senior fellow with the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
Anti-choice members of congress continue with their unrelenting war on women by advancing a bill aimed at punishing women for seeking abortion care. Instead of supporting legislation that helps women lead more healthy and economically secure lives, anti-choice leaders in Congress are working to advance an agenda that holds women and families back. Whether it is working to undermine the Affordable Care Act, gut Medicaid, or impose expansive restrictions on abortion care, President Trump and Congress are hurting those most vulnerable in our communities.
See CAP’s new resource debunking anti-choice myths around abortion bans and explaining how harmful they are to women: Rhetoric vs. Reality: How Abortion Bans Hurt Women by Jamila Taylor and Anusha Ravi
For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, contact Sally Tucker at [email protected] or 202-481-8103.