I Am Committed to Doing Everything Possible to Protect Women, Families, And Reproductive Freedom

U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette

Posted on June 26, 2024

Two years ago, I stood at the Supreme Court outraged by the Court’s decision to abandon nearly 50 years of historical precedent by overturning Roe v. Wade. This decision was a devastating blow to reproductive freedom and marked the first time the Supreme Court had stripped away a right it had previously granted. I knew then, as I know now, that extremists across the country would seize that moment to advance their darker agenda—threatening not only a nationwide abortion ban but every facet of women’s reproductive health care. And sadly, I was right.

For decades, the anti-choice coalition has been focused on overturning Roe v. Wade. By weaponizing the courts and state legislatures, they passed extreme laws banning abortion in over 20 states, fully aware these laws would not pass muster under Roe. These laws lay dormant, but when the Dobbs decision activated them, the severe and immediate impact on women’s health became tragically evident. Millions of Americans now find their health care in jeopardy.

As co-chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus, I will not relent in the fight to restore the protections of Roe.
U.S. Congressman Diana DeGette

This is a decision Donald Trump and his MAGA extremists, including Speaker Mike Johnson, have proudly taken credit for. Because of them, hundreds of thousands of patients have been denied care at home and are traveling across the country to receive abortions, a problem we know all too well in Colorado.

Since Dobbs, Colorado has emerged as a safe haven for reproductive health care across the Mountain West. With other nearby states enacting severe restrictions, women have been traveling here in search of the care they can no longer access at home. As a result, Colorado has seen the fifth largest surge of patients in the U.S. This influx strains the capabilities of clinics and staff, and increases wait times for Coloradoans and out-of-state patients.

As we mark this somber anniversary, we must continue this fight to ensure that every American has access to the full spectrum of health care. As co-chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus, I will not relent in the fight to restore the protections of Roe. I am committed to doing everything possible to protect women, families, and reproductive freedom, including passing my Women’s Health Protection Act.

I am proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with America’s pro-choice majority who supports reproductive care, and to fight for every person’s freedom to make their own health care decisions.

Background: As co-chair of the House Pro-Choice Caucus, Rep. DeGette has been among a handful of lawmakers leading the fight to restore Roe v. Wade nationwide in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn it in 2022. She is a lead sponsor of a landmark piece of legislation – known as the Women’s Health Protection Act – that would restore the protections that were in place under Roe.

In June 2023, as part of her ongoing efforts to ensure every American has access to abortion services, Rep. DeGette filed a unique legislative measure, known as a “discharge petition,” that could force the GOP-led House to bring the Women’s Health Protection Act up for a vote.

Last Friday, Rep. DeGette welcomed Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to Denver to discuss the two years since the Supreme Court gutted Roe v. Wade and underscore its devastating impacts on reproductive freedom.

U.S. Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-CO) is co-chair of the House Pro-Choice Caucus.