WASHINGTON, DC – (January 22, 2017) – This past Friday, on the same day as the annual March for Life, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, a bill which imposes criminal penalties on doctors providing abortion services. Linda Goler Blount, president and CEO of the Black Women’s Health Imperative released the following statement in response:
“As we celebrate the 45th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, which gave women the legal right to abortions, it is disgraceful that this legal right continues to be attacked by policymakers. The “Born-Alive” bill is as unnecessary as it is inflammatory. Politicians are trying to take away access to legal, safe abortion services by shaming women for their medical decisions and threatening medical providers with criminal penalties. We, at BWHI, know that every Black woman is unique and needs to be able to make health decisions that are best for her and her family. This bill grossly interferes with that personal health decision. Instead of finding more ways to restrict Black women’s access to comprehensive reproductive health care, Congress should actually uphold the promise of Roe v. Wade and oppose harmful bans on abortion. Black women need and deserve access to affordable, compassionate and appropriate medical care. We will not stop fighting until this is finally a reality.”
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Media Contact:
Antonice Jackson
202-370-3630
ajackson@bwhi.org