A coalition of Democratic senators has penned a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland in an effort to safeguard the right of patients to travel out-of-state for abortion. They express concern about the increasing attacks on this right, citing Idaho’s recent law that criminalizes assisting minors in obtaining an abortion out-of-state without parental consent. Despite the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which explicitly declared such laws unconstitutional, Idaho passed this law. The senators worry that other states, including Iowa, Texas, and Tennessee, may follow suit, leading to a widespread assault on Americans’ rights.
The signatories of the letter include prominent senators such as Elizabeth Warren, Dianne Feinstein, Mazie Hirono, Peter Welch, Raphael Warnock, Alex Padilla, Richard Blumenthal, Kirsten Gillibrand, and John Fetterman. They request that Garland hold a briefing with the Reproductive Health Task Force, which was established by the DOJ after the Supreme Court’s ruling, by July 26. They remind Garland that this task force pledged to monitor state-level actions that impede patients’ ability to access reproductive care information in other states.
For many women, traveling to out-of-state providers is now the only option for obtaining an abortion. Since the fall of Roe v. Wade, clinics in states where abortion remains legal have experienced a significant influx of patients from states that have severely restricted access to the procedure. Planned Parenthood branches have reported a 50% increase in out-of-state patients compared to when Roe was in effect. Adrienne Mansanares, CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, and Jennifer Welch, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Illinois, shared their experiences of seeing patients from various states, emphasizing the urgent need to protect access to abortion.
In summary, the senators are urging the DOJ to take action to defend patients’ rights to travel out-of-state for abortion and to collaborate with the Reproductive Health Task Force to monitor and address any infringements on this right at the state level. They seek to raise awareness about the increasing challenges faced by individuals seeking abortion care and emphasize the importance of protecting access to this essential healthcare service.
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