SEATTLE — U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) held a roundtable in Seattle Friday to discuss reproductive health care.
The senators used the opportunity the roundtable provided to talk about the re-introduction of the Women’s Health Protection Act.
“This bill is not complicated,” said Sen. Murray. “It simply restores women’s right to make their own health care decisions, and protects doctors right to provide abortion care, no matter where in America that patient or doctor lives.”
"We are going to continue to fight to make sure that this FDA approved drug is available here in Washington state," said Sen. Cantwell. "That the people who need access to this are going to continue to get access."
The Women’s Health Protection Act would create more federally protected patient and provider rights to help protect abortion access. It includes protections against restrictions of health care and decision making.
The act would, among other things, prohibit states from creating restrictions on abortions early on in pregnancies. It would also prohibit states from limiting abortion when it would jeopardize the life or wellness of the mother and would protect those traveling out of state seeking reproductive health care.
Attendees included Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson, Dr. Erin Berry, Planned Parenthood Washington medical director; Rebecca Gibron, CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Northwest; and other local abortion providers and advocates.
“More than three decades ago, Washington voters enshrined the right to abortion into law. Washington state remains on the forefront of the fight for reproductive justice,” said Ferguson. "The fight for reproductive justice has never been more urgent.”
