Right now, reproductive freedom is under attack across the country. The Supreme Court will soon hear oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case about a Mississippi abortion ban. This case is a direct attack on Roe and reproductive freedom. To put it plainly, there’s simply no path for the Supreme Court to uphold Mississippi’s ban without overturning the landmark 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade that recognized the constitutional right to abortion.
Ever since Roe was decided, recognizing the right to abortion, anti-choice lawmakers and extremists have actively tried to deny people that right. Now that a majority of the Supreme Court is unmistakably hostile to reproductive freedom, anti-choice extremists are escalating these fights all the way up to the highest court. The Supreme Court’s refusal to block SB 8 — a vigilante-enforced ban on abortion care — effectively rendered Roe meaningless in Texas, denying Texans of their constitutional right. Now, anti-choice lawmakers in states across the country are signaling their intent to pursue copycat bans on abortion inspired by Texas’ SB 8. Meanwhile, state restrictions and bans pushed for decades by the anti-choice movement have created significant barriers to accessing abortion care for Black, Indigenous, and people of color.
These are just a few of the reasons why we urgently need the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), and why we need it now. WHPA is a vital step toward guaranteeing reproductive freedom for every body, no matter who they are or where they live.
What is WHPA?
The Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) is federal legislation that would safeguard the right to abortion — even if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. The bill has already passed the U.S. House of Representatives, and now we need our leaders in the U.S. Senate to pass this critical bill and protect abortion throughout the country.
Why WHPA?
The right to abortion is fundamental to ensuring every body can decide for themselves if, when, and how to start or grow their family. That’s where WHPA comes in. We believe that every body must be free to make the personal decisions about pregnancy that shape their lives and future without political interference.
There is more work to be done to pass WHPA. We must demand our senators vote YES and pass WHPA so that President Biden can sign it into law. WHPA would safeguard the right to abortion across the country — and that’s why we need it now.
