As a Federal Judge Considers a Ban on Medication Abortion, Rep. Stansbury, Democratic Caucus Re-Introduce National Abortion Rights Bill
WASHINGTON – As the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Texas hears a challenge to the approval of a widely-used and safe medication abortion drug, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01), a member of Democratic Women’s Caucus leadership, joined House Democrats to introduce the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) to codify abortion access into law nationwide.
The Women’s Health Protection Act guarantees the right of every American to access abortion care. Additionally, the legislation protects the ability of abortion providers to deliver patient services without unnecessary and burdensome restrictions. One in four women in the United States will have an abortion in their lifetime.
“We must act now to protect our fundamental human right to make decisions about our own bodies,” said Rep. Stansbury. “I am proud to say that abortion remains legal, accessible, and better protected in New Mexico, but we must stand firm against the Supreme Court and the Republican Party’s attempt to turn back the clock on our fundamental rights. As unelected federal judges chip away at abortion care, I join the Democratic Caucus in our commitment to protecting and expanding abortion rights nationwide.”
Since the Supreme Court overturned five decades of precedent by overturning Roe v Wade in June 2022, 12 states have already banned abortion outright and eight more are likely to follow their lead. New Mexico recently passed enhanced protections for abortion patients and providers while clinics are experiencing an influx of out-of-state patients. The Women’s Health Protection Act would return the longstanding right to abortion access to all people in the United States.
The Women's Health Protection Act would:
Affirm reproductive justice as a human and Constitutional right: Protect a person’s ability to determine whether to continue or end a pregnancy.
Protect health care providers: Provide federal protections for health care providers who provide these services free from medically unnecessary restrictions that interfere with a patient’s individual choice or the provider-patient relationship.
BACKGROUND
Last Congress, Rep. Stansbury also voted to pass the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act and the Right to Contraception Act to safeguard access to contraception and the right of Americans across the nation to travel to seek safe, legal care.
In 2021, Rep. Stansbury was part of the majority in the New Mexico State Legislature that voted to pass legislation to repeal an antiquated abortion ban from the books, protecting access to reproductive health care for New Mexicans and communities across the region.
The full text of the Women’s Health Protection Act can be found here.