Center CEO to Testify in U.S. Congress on Legislation to Protect Abortion Access

On February 12, Nancy Northup, President and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, will be testifying at a hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives in support of the Women’s Health Protection Act. The landmark federal legislation would answer the recent calls to “codify Roe” by safeguarding the right to access abortion care across the United States. 

Watch the livestream here on Wednesday, February 12 at 10:00 am (EST)

The Women’s Health Protection Act would establish a statutory right for health care providers to provide, and their patients to receive, abortion care free from medically unnecessary restrictions, limitations, and bans that delay, and at times, completely obstruct access to abortion.

Nearly 450 state laws restricting access to abortion care have been enacted since 2011, and clinics have been forced to close. As a result, the ability to access abortion care is incredibly uneven from state to state. Nearly 90 percent of American counties are without a single abortion provider, and six states are down to their last abortion clinic. 

The hearing will take place in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health. The Women’s Health Protection Act was introduced in the House by Representatives Judy Chu (D-CA), Lois Frankel (D-FL), and Marcia Fudge (D-OH) on May 23, 2019. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced an identical bill in the Senate. 

The Center for Reproductive Rights is proud to spearhead efforts to build support for the Women’s Health Protection Act and applauds Congress for hearing testimony on this important legislation.

For more details about the Women’s Health Protection Act, visit ActForWomen.org.