By Brendan Scanland
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Reproductive rights will be a major topic on the minds of voters in the upcoming election.
Today, Senate Democrats said they’re pushing hard to protect reproductive freedom, access to contraceptives and IVF- all of which they view as winning issues in November, especially since Roe v. Wade was overturned.
Senate Democrats are preparing a series of votes to put Republicans, especially those in tough races this November, in the hot seat to see how they vote.
“Senate Democrats are forcing them to vote and show who they are and what they believe. And it’s shocking to many Americans that they wouldn’t protect the right to contraception, they wouldn’t protect the right to IVF and they wouldn’t protect the right to have an abortion,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D- NY).
Just days after Senate Republicans blocked a bill to ensure federal protections for IVF, Senate Democrats are now taking aim ahead of November.
“Abortion rights are absolutely on the ballot in November in every single state,” said Sen. Patty Murray (D- WA).
“Today, 1-in-3 women now live under extreme and dangerous abortion bans. And if you think they’re going to stop there, you have not been listening to them,” said Senator Debbie Stabenow (D- MI) warning that Republicans will target reproductive health tools, like the widely used abortion pill, Mifepristone.
“If Donald Trump is in the White House next year, there is no doubt, no doubt that he and Republicans will continue to use every tool possible to ban Mifepristone,” said Stabenow.
Democrats say Republicans ultimately want to enact a nationwide abortion ban.
“Our Republican colleagues may not want to talk about this issue because they know they’re on the wrong side. They know their goal is to enact a nationwide abortion ban,” said Leader Schumer.
But after a meeting with former President Donald Trump last week, some House Republicans said they expect it to be left up to the states to decide.
“I don’t, I don’t think there will be,” said Rep. Mike Kelly (R- PA) when asked by reporters about a nationwide abortion ban following the meeting. “I think what he said was exactly what it should be from the beginning- 50 states have the ability to make a decision on that. Why turn it over to the federal government,” Kelly added.
Last week, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously to preserve access to Mifepristone.
Senate Democrats plan to move forward with the Reproductive Freedom for Women Act as soon as possible. The measure would reestablish a national right to an abortion before the third trimester of pregnancy by enshrining the protections of Roe v. Wade.
