Congressional Democrats are strategizing innovative tactics to raise awareness about reproductive rights as the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade approaches. They plan to engage in floor speeches and procedural maneuvers on various bills in order to keep the issue in the forefront of public consciousness.
This Saturday marks the one-year milestone since the influential ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a verdict that eliminated the constitutional right to an abortion, creating a new era in the realm of abortion politics.
Among their initiatives, Senate Democrats intend to deliver floor speeches and pursue unanimous consent on a series of bills aimed at “protecting women’s fundamental freedoms.”
In a statement, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) affirmed that Senate Democrats will prompt Republicans to explain to the American people why they oppose codifying the right to contraception and prohibiting state-level barriers to life-saving healthcare for women.
While Democrats currently lack the votes to overcome a filibuster and enshrine Roe’s protections into law, their actions are primarily focused on highlighting what they perceive as Republican extremism and ensuring that abortion remains a prominent issue in the upcoming 2024 presidential election, following its success for Democrats in the 2022 midterms.
“As we strive to garner the necessary votes to restore Roe, it is crucial that we expose the nation to the audacious and perilous nature of Republicans’ anti-abortion agenda,” stated Murray.
Murray and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) have announced their intention to seek unanimous consent on four bills, namely: legislation to legally establish the right to use birth control, measures protecting women traveling across state lines for abortion care, safeguards for providers from states hostile to abortion, and a proposal to expand online privacy protections to prevent the misuse of health and location data.
Meanwhile, in the House, Democratic Representatives Diana DeGette (Colo.), Barbara Lee (Calif), and Judy Chu (Calif.) plan to submit a discharge petition that would compel a vote on legislation establishing a nationwide right to an abortion before viability, known as the Women’s Health Protection Act. Despite having passed the House twice, without any Republican support, the bill was unsuccessful in advancing through the Senate. A spokesperson for DeGette highlighted that the three lawmakers have been collaborating closely with Democratic leadership in their efforts to prioritize this legislation.
Although the endeavor is challenging, with Democrats currently controlling 213 House seats, even with unanimous support from their own party, they would still require at least five Republicans to obtain the necessary 218 signatures for the petition to succeed.
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