COLOR AF
On Monday evening, the U.S. Senate voted on the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA). This federal legislation would work towards a future where all of us are free to make personal decisions about our lives, our futures, and our families, without political interference. The vote failed in the Senate 48 to 46, with six abstaining votes.
“In Colorado, we are urging our legislators to continue to support the Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA) so that our right to abortion is protected under a statute in the state.”
Christina Soliz, COLOR Action Fund
This is the first pro-active abortion rights legislation being voted on in Congress in nearly 30 years. Representatives DeGette, Neguse, Perlmutter, and Crow have all signed on as WHPA co-sponsors, as have Senators Hickenlooper and Bennet.
“Tonight’s vote is disappointing, but we won’t stop fighting for access to abortion. This is why in Colorado, we are urging our legislators to continue to support the Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA) so that our right to abortion is protected under a statute in the state,” stated Christina Soliz, Political Director at COLOR Action Fund.
Every day without congressional action means that more and more people are being denied their constitutional right to abortion—and we know that this disproportionately harms people who already face discriminatory obstacles to accessing health care, particularly Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, those working to make ends meet, women, young people, people with disabilities, immigrants, and members of the LGBTQI+ community.
“On the eve of the six-month anniversary of the Texas six-week abortion ban known as SB8, it has never been more important to codify the constitutional right and to strengthen health care access for all people,” said COLOR Action Fund’s President, Dusti Gurule. “The Women’s Health Protection Act would have been a historic vote in order to ensure our right to access abortion free from medically unnecessary restrictions and bans on abortion to abortion.”
Abortion is essential health care. And we commend the U.S. Senators, especially Sen. Bennet and Sen. Hickenlooper, Colorado’s own Reproductive Justice Champions, who voted yes on the Women’s Health Protection Act today [Feb. 28] – recognizing that we all must protect the rights of every person to make decisions about their health, their lives, and their futures.
You can learn more about the Women’s Health Protection Act here.
Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights Action Fund (COLOR AF).
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