Joint CHC Chair and Members Statement on One-Year Mark of Dobbs Decision
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CHC Communications | Brian Garcia | brian.garcia3@mail.house.gov
Rep. Sylvia Garcia | Bryce Early | bryce.earley@mail.house.gov
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández | Nairka Trevino | nairka.trevino@mail.house.gov
Rep. Andrea Salinas | Teddy Lake | teddy.lake@mail.house.gov
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Nanette Barragán and Representatives Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), and Andrea Salinas (OR-06) issued a joint statement on the one-year mark of the Dobbs decision.
“One year ago, millions of women were stripped of their reproductive rights with the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court – creating a human rights crisis,” said Chair Barragán. “Today, more than one in three women of reproductive age across America live in one of the 18 states with an abortion ban. Many have been turned away from emergency rooms and made to travel hundreds of miles for care. The Dobbs decision was a devastating and dark moment for America, but we will not sit back and watch our rights be taken. Make no mistake, the right to choose is, and always has been, a fundamental health care decision that should be made by a woman and her doctor – not politicians. All women, regardless of where they live in the U.S., should be able to choose what is best for them and their family, because abortion is health care.”
"One year after the Dobbs decision, the consequences only continue to grow,” said Rep. Garcia. “Women in Texas are traveling across state lines or quietly obtaining abortion-inducing medication at pharmacies just over the Mexican border. States like Texas that have restricted abortion access after the overturn of Roe already have worse maternal health outcomes, greater health care inequities, and more maternity care deserts than states that have protected abortion access. This must end now."
“One year ago, the Supreme Court stripped away women’s liberties, ended 50 years of abortion rights, and overturned Roe v. Wade. Now, 25 million women live in states where abortion is banned or severely restricted,” said Rep. Leger Fernández. “The Court is out of step with America - 70% of people think abortion should be legal. As a woman, mother, and Vice Chair of DWC, I’ll keep fighting to restore and protect abortion rights for everyone, no matter where they live.”
“One year ago, the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade in a devastating, partisan ruling that has proved disastrous for hundreds of thousands of people across the US,” said Rep. Salinas. “For Latinas and undocumented women, who already face disproportionate barriers to care, this ruling has been especially traumatic — yet it’s clear that Republicans are not yet satisfied with their attacks on reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy. In the year since the Dobbs ruling, far-right organizations and politicians have worked to further erode reproductive care in America, targeting safe abortion medication like mifepristone and forcing women to travel hundreds of miles for necessary care. Congress must take action to restore the protections once afforded by the Roe v. Wade precedent. From the Women’s Health Protection Act to the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act, we must enact bold legislation that formally protects reproductive freedom. Anything less is unacceptable.”
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