Mazie Hirono: “let me move onto why I am here this afternoon. It is not an exaggeration to say that we are at a crisis point.…”

“let me move onto why I am here this afternoon. It is not an exaggeration to say that we are at a crisis point. Republican legislatures all across the country are continuing to pass bills that control our bodies and, at the same time, Trump Supreme Court nominees are closer than ever to overturning Roe v. Wade. There are 26 States across the country that are likely, if not certain, to ban abortion if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. There is no question that these restrictions that have been enacted by States all across the country have an incredibly discriminatory impact and will disproportionately harm those who are already facing far more obstacles when it comes to accessing healthcare, including women of color, women with low incomes, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, rural women, and many more. For over 50 years, Roe v. Wade enabled women to make the decision about whether or not they wanted to start a family. But, today, because of new abortion care restrictions, 90 percent of counties in the United States do not have an abortion provider. Women are faced with impossible decisions and, as a result, will be forced to have babies they can't afford, didn't plan for, or are unable to care for, or faced to have babies under life-threatening conditions. And, tragically, women may also die because they lack the access or resources to safely end pregnancy. Abortion bans are a matter of life and death.…”