Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Pro-Choice Caucus Joins Democratic Women’s Caucus and Democratic Leadership in Marking Two Years since Supreme Court Dobbs Decision
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12), co chair of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, was joined by Pro Choice Caucus co-chair Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01) and House Democratic Leadership to mark two years since the disastrous Supreme Court Decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.
You can find her full remarks transcribed below. To watch the full press conference, click here.
Congresswoman Lee:
Well good morning everyone.
Let me first thank Leader Jeffries, Whip Clarke, Chair Aguilar our Co-Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus Diana DeGette for their bold leadership.
I am a proud Democrat and I am so proud of our Democratic caucus. Thank you all very much for staying the course on this issue that really is about life or death.
As Co-Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus with Rep. DeGette, I am proud to be in this fight with all of you—and with all of our incredible, inspiring coalition partners doing the work on the ground.
Two years ago, five extremist Supreme Court justices voted to take our country back decades and revoke a fundamental right of millions by overturning Roe.
This is yet another attack on our democracy. Now, millions of Americans of reproductive age are living without access to abortion care, suffering preventable harm to their bodies and lives.
This anniversary is a stark reminder of the casualties in the GOP’s war on reproductive freedom. But it must also be a call to action, it’s a wake up call, - Because this cannot continue.
Tonight, the two candidates for President will debate for this first time in this election.
I hope the country is paying attention not only to how they talk about abortion, but what they’ve actually done about it.
From day one, the Biden administration has shown a clear and early commitment to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
He has taken concrete actions to protect access to abortion, including medication abortion; the ability to travel for reproductive care; access to affordable, quality contraception; safeguarding the privacy of patients and health care providers; and more.
The extreme GOP and their allies on the Supreme Court could not be more opposite. They’ve continued an assault reproductive freedom through harmful legislation at each level of government, and in states across the nation.
And let’s be clear: Republicans are ready and eager to institute a national ban and create more suffering. We cannot let them do that. We cannot let GOP extremism continue to subvert the will of the people.
As someone who had an unsafe and illegal abortion before Roe, we cannot allow this country to revert back to those days.
The majority of Americans support the right to an abortion.
Our Caucus won’t stop fighting until our laws reflect our democratic values and our own freedoms to make our own healthcare decisions without interference mind you from judges and elected officials.
Thank you again, and now I’d like to yield to our woman warrior Diana DeGette.