Senate Dems put GOP on defense with emergency abortion access push – Washington Examiner
The article discusses Senate Democrats’ efforts to legislate for expanded access to emergency abortions, highlighting their strategy to position themselves against Republicans on this contentious issue. Democrats, led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), plan to introduce a resolution affirming the right to emergency medical care, including abortions, and seek to pass a bill to cover travel costs for individuals seeking abortions in other states. Given the historical resistance from Republicans regarding abortion rights—anchored in a perspective that advocates for state-level regulation—the initiatives are likely to face opposition. The urgency of these efforts is underscored by a recent case involving the death of a pregnant woman in Georgia due to delayed abortion care, which Democrats attribute to restrictive policies stemming from the Trump administration. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has emphasized the importance of this issue ahead of the elections, framing it as a lifesaving concern for many women across the country.
Senate Democrats put GOP on defense with push for emergency abortion access
Senate Democrats will try to advance legislation on Tuesday that would expand access to emergency abortions, the latest attempt to draw a contrast with Republicans on a topic that has galvanized Democrats and centrist voters across the country.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), the president pro tempore of the Senate, will seek unanimous consent to pass a resolution that she and a group of Democrats introduced last week stating that every person has a right to emergency medical care, including emergency abortions.
Additionally, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), who is up for reelection in November, will seek to pass a bill that would help cover travel costs for those seeking abortions out of state. Both are expected to be blocked by Republicans who, by and large, have adopted former President Donald Trump’s position that the issue should be left to the states.
.@SenSchumer speaking on a upcoming resolution that would affirm accesss to emergency abortion care: “A person’s ability to receive life saving care, including life saving reproductive care, should never hinge on which state they live.” pic.twitter.com/KZyCQm3bPZ
— Samantha-Jo Roth (@SamanthaJoRoth) September 24, 2024
The move comes on the heels of an investigation from ProPublica on the death of a 28-year-old pregnant woman in Georgia attributed to delayed abortion care. Democrats, led by Vice President Kamala Harris, their presidential nominee, say the infection that led to her death can be traced back to “Trump abortion bans.”
The Supreme Court this summer dismissed a case about whether an Idaho abortion law can coexist with the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, which requires hospitals to provide stabilizing care for those with an emergency medical condition. The decision temporarily allows emergency abortions to continue in the state.
In a press conference with reporters on Tuesday afternoon, Murray defended introducing her effort as a resolution instead of a bill that would change the language of EMTALA.
“In the time frame we have, knowing that women are now dying because they cannot get the care that they need in an emergency room, we want to make it clear that Congress’s intent is that women can get life-saving care when they go to an emergency room anywhere in this country,” Murray said.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has utilized his control of the Senate floor to push a number of “show votes” over the last few months to bring abortion access, the border, and gun control to the spotlight ahead of the election.
“I hope my Republican colleagues support the legislation today. To say no would be a true, heartless message to send to the American people,” Schumer said to reporters on Tuesday.
REPUBLICANS SAY RARE HEARING ON ABORTION DESIGNED TO ‘SCORE POLITICAL POINTS’
The most recent push comes as the Senate Finance Committee also held a hearing on Tuesday titled “Chaos and Control: How Trump Criminalized Women’s Health Care,” drawing criticism from committee Republicans.
Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) slammed the hearing, stating that “Democrats are trying to find opportunities to score points on the only issue they think they stand a chance to win on in this upcoming election with no regard for the truth.”
Republicans have generally attempted to counteract the messaging by painting Democrats as extreme over resistance to late-term abortion bans.
Murray pushed back against Republicans who slammed the effort as a partisan messaging effort in a highly competitive election year.
“What can be better right now than making sure if a woman has sepsis or if she is hemorrhaging or if she is on death’s door, what are they even saying, that we shouldn’t be talking about this?” Murray questioned. “We are just going to let women die? We are not going to do that.”
Gabrielle M. Etzel contributed to this report.
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