Reproductive Freedom for Women Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, a few moments ago, I took the first procedural step to place on the legislative calendar the Reproductive Freedom for Women Act, sponsored by Senator Murray and myself and cosponsored by all the women Senators on our side. This measure affirms a woman's fundamental right to choose and calls for enshrining the protections of Roe v. Wade into law, as most Americans say they want.

I thank Senator Murray and all of my colleagues who cosponsored the Reproductive Freedom for Women Act, and I will work to bring it to the floor.

We are only halfway through June, but it has already been a dismal month for MAGA Republicans and their attacks on reproductive freedoms. In the last 2 weeks, Senate Republicans have shown that, for all their attempts to sound moderate on reproductive freedom, when it comes time to vote, they are falling in line with MAGA extremists.

This month, Senate Republicans have already blocked legislation protecting commonsense reproductive care, like contraception and IVF, as the Acting President pro tempore knows well. House Republicans, meanwhile, voted overwhelmingly on Friday to pass the Defense funding bill, with hard-right poison pills restricting access to reproductive care for our servicemembers.

And Donald Trump, while speaking to Republicans on Capitol Hill last week, once again attacked the decision of Roe and said abortion should be left to the States, even if States pass terrible restrictions on women's freedoms, as is happening all over the country.

Republicans cannot escape a simple reality: Their record on women's healthcare is dangerously out of step with the views of most Americans. Poll after poll affirms that a majority of Americans disapproved of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe.

So I will say it again: So many Senate Republicans and so many House Republicans will try to talk like moderates on reproductive freedoms, but their own record is irrefutably against them. And when it comes time to vote, they vote against women and reproductive freedoms over and over again. The American people know that when it comes to protecting their fundamental freedoms, actions speak louder than words.

Republicans can't claim to be pro-contraception but then block Federal protections for contraception. But that is just what they did a few weeks ago.

Republicans can't also claim to be pro-family but then block Federal protections for IVF. But, once again, that is just what they did a few days ago.

Remember, Donald Trump, to this day, continues to brag about his role in eliminating Roe, aided by Republicans in this Chamber who voted to confirm not one, not two, but three hard-right Supreme Court Justices with the goal of overturning Roe.

Make no mistake. The MAGA extremists aren't done. If they get the chance, they will push for their ultimate goal of a national abortion ban.

Many Republicans say a national abortion ban is plain old fearmongering. But, remember, these same Republicans weren't even able to stand up to the MAGA right long enough to support a simple IVF bill. Do we really trust them to resist the MAGA right when it pushes a national abortion ban? Of course, not.

With November fast approaching, Republicans continue to show the American people where they really are: with MAGA extremists and not with the majority of America. That is what Republican Senators and House Members are doing.

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