Anu Kumar, CEO and President of Ipas, released the following statement following the Senate’s vote on the Women’s Health Protection Act, and ahead of President Biden’s State of the Union Address:
“Yesterday, the Senate voted for the first time on legislation to protect the right to access abortion in the United States. We applaud the Senators who voted in support of this legislation and the right of every person to make their own decisions about their health, life, and future.
In this critical moment, as the Supreme Court considers its decision to overturn Roe v Wade and state and local governments introduce new restrictions, we are disappointed that many elected representatives in this country still refuse to recognize that access to abortion is a right, not a privilege. Abortion, after all, is health care–and it is critical for people’s ability to live healthy lives, to care for their families, and to contribute to their communities.
With Congress’s unwillingness to act, we urge President Biden to make clear that protecting abortion access is of paramount importance, and to use every administrative tool across every agency to do so. Too much is at stake. Around the world, we’ve seen first-hand the impact of rolling back abortion rights and denying access–women, people of color, LGBTQ people, and other marginalized groups bear the greatest burden.
Everyone, no matter where they live, how much money they have, their religion, gender, or sexuality should be able to make their own decisions about their body, and should have equitable access to health care. We call on the President to clearly commit to an abortion-forward U.S. and foreign policy, and to act now.”