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Beaiing
"S.1696, The Women's Bealth Piotection Act:
Removing Baiiieis to Constitutionally Piotecteu Repiouuctive Rights"

Piepaieu Statement of Nancy Noithup
}uly 1S, 2u14
Washington, BC

Chaiiman Leahy, Ranking Nembei uiassley, Senatoi Blumenthal anu Nembeis of
the Committee:
I am Nancy Noithup, piesiuent anu CE0 of the Centei foi Repiouuctive Rights, a
global human iights oiganization that woiks to ensuie that access to iepiouuctive
health caie anu the ability to make iepiouuctive uecisions aie guaianteeu in law as
funuamental human iights that all goveinments aie legally obligateu to piotect,
iespect, anu fulfill. I biing to this issue my peispectives as the leauei of an
oiganization that has been, foi moie than 2u yeais, on the fiont lines of the legal
battles ovei iepiouuctive iights in the 0niteu States. I am also a foimei feueial
piosecutoi anu constitutional litigatoi with an abiuing belief in the iule of law anu
in equal legal iights anu piotections foi all.
}ust ovei 2u yeais ago, }ustices of the 0niteu States Supieme Couit wiote, in PlonneJ
PorentbooJ v. Cosey, that "the ability of women to paiticipate equally in the
economic anu social life of the nation has been facilitateu by theii ability to contiol
theii iepiouuctive lives."
1
In that uecision, the "cential piemise" of Roe v. WoJe
ueciueu 2u yeais piioiwas ieaffiimeu: that a "woman has a iight to choose to

1
PlonneJ PorentbooJ of Soutbeostern Pennsylvonio v. Cosey, SuS 0.S. 8SS, 8SS (1992).
2
teiminate hei piegnancy" befoie viability.
2
As the Couit helu in Roe, "'the iight of
the inuiviuual . . . to be fiee fiom unwaiianteu goveinmental intiusion into matteis
so funuamentally affecting a peison as the uecision whethei to beai oi beget a chilu'
. . . necessaiily incluues the iight of a woman to ueciue whethei oi not to teiminate
hei piegnancy."
S

These essential piinciples iemain as vitally impoitant touay as they weie when the
Couit hanueu uown these histoiic iulings. This is an issue foi women in eveiy state,
eveiy congiessional uistiict, eveiy county, anu eveiy city anu town in Ameiica.
Inueeu, appioximately one in thiee women in the 0.S. will ueciue ovei the couise of
hei life that enuing a piegnancy is the iight uecision foi hei.
4
Bei uecision is baseu
on hei inuiviuual ciicumstances, hei health anu hei life. Anu when a woman makes
that uecision, she neeus access to goou, safe, ieliable caie, fiom a health caie
pioviuei she tiusts, in oi neai the community she calls home.
But touay, a woman's ability to access that caie incieasingly uepenus on the state in
which she happens to live. Theie weie ovei 2uu state laws passeu fiom 2u11-2u1S
uesigneu to make it haiuei oi impossible foi women to access aboition seivices in
theii communities.
S
Anu wheie not blockeu by couit oiueis, this new wave of
iestiictions is shutting uown clinics, closing off essential seivices, anu haiming
women.

2
SuS 0.S. at 87u.
S
Roe v. WoJe, 41u 0.S. 11S, 169-7u (197S) (quoting FisenstoJt v. BoirJ, 4uS 0.S. 4S8, 4SS (1972)).
4
At 2uu8 iates, S in 1u women will have an aboition by age 4S. lnJuceJ Abortion in tbe 0niteJ Stotes
u0TTNACBER INSTIT0TE (}uly 2u14), ovoiloble ot
http:www.guttmachei.oigpubsfb_inuuceu_aboition.html#1 (citing Rachel K. }ones & Negan L.
Kavanaugh, Cbonqes in Abortion Rotes Between 2000 onJ 2008 onJ lifetime lnciJence of Abortion, 117
0BSTETRICS & uYNEC0L0uY 1SS8 (2u11), ovoiloble ot
http:jouinals.lww.comgieenjouinalFulltext2u11u6uuuChanges_in_Aboition_Rates_Betweeen
_2uuu_anu_2uu8.14.aspx).
S
Fiom 2u11-2u1S, 2uS aboition iestiictions weie enacteu: 92 in 2u11, 4S in 2u12, anu 7u in 2u1S.
Elizabeth Nash et al, Stote TrenJs for 201S on Abortion, Iomily Plonninq, Sex FJucotion, STls onJ
Preqnoncy, u0TTNACBER INSTIT0TE (2u1S), ovoiloble ot
http:www.guttmachei.oigstatecenteiupuates2u1Sstatetienus42u1S.html.
S
These iestiictions take many foims. Some blatantly uefy the 0.S. Constitution anu
uecaues of settleu law. In 2u1S, Noith Bakota enacteu a ban on aboition as eaily as
six weeks of piegnancybefoie many women will even know they aie piegnant.
6

That same yeai, Aikansas passeu a ban at 12 weeks.
7

0thei iestiictive laws single out iepiouuctive health caie pioviueis foi excessively
buiuensome iequiiements uesigneu to iegulate them out of piactice unuei the false
pietext of health anu safety.
8

This is the newest stiategy in the foui-uecaue campaign to uepiive women of the
piomise of Roe v. WoJe. Buiing that histoiy, theie have been teiioiizing physical
attacksclinics blockaueu, bombeu, vanualizeu anu toicheu, uoctois anu clinic
woikeis muiueieu.
9
Twenty-five yeais ago, I lockeu aims with membeis of my
chuich anu othei conceineu citizens in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to foim a human
chain of piotection aiounu a iepiouuctive health clinic as hunuieus of 0peiation
Rescue piotesteis uescenueu, intent on obstiucting patients fiom enteiing. That
scene was playeu out ovei anu ovei acioss the nation. Feueial action was neeueu

6
B.B. 14S6, 6Su Leg. Assemb., Reg. Sess. (N.B.2u1S); see olso HKB Hqmt. Corp. v. BurJick, 1:1S-Cv-
u71, 2u14 WL 16SS2u1, at *1, (B.N.B. Api. 16, 2u14) (finuing B.B. 14S6 unconstitutional, stating
"|tjhe Noith Bakota stiict ban on aboitions at the time when a 'heaitbeat' has been uetecteu -
essentially banning all aboitions as eaily as six weeks of piegnancy - cannot withstanu a
constitutional challenge."), oppeol fileJ, No. 14-2128 (8
th
Cii. Nay 14, 2u14).
7
Aik. Coue Ann. 2u-16-1Su1 thiough 1Su7; FJworJs v. Beck, No. 4:1SCvuu224 SWW, 2u14 WL
124S267, F. Supp. 2u (E.B. Aik. Nai. 14, 2u14) (finuing law unconstitutional anu gianting
motion foi paitial summaiy juugment), oppeol fileJ, No. 14-1891 (8
th
Cii. Api. 16, 2u14).
8
See, e.q., Rachel Benson uolu & Elizabeth Nash, TRAP lows 6oin Politicol Troction Wbile Abortion
ClinicsAnJ tbe Women Tbey ServePoy tbe Price. u0TTNACBER INSTIT0TE (2u1S), ovoiloble ot,
http:www.guttmachei.oigpubsgpi162gpi16u2u7.puf ("having mostly exhausteu legal means
of uiscouiaging women fiom choosing aboition, opponents iecently have steppeu up theii effoits to
block clinics fiom pioviuing them. Noie than half the states now have laws instituting oneious anu
iiielevant licensing iequiiements, known as Taigeteu Regulation of Aboition Pioviuei (TRAP) laws,
which have nothing to uo with piotecting women anu eveiything to uo with shutting uown clinics").
9
See, e.q., CENTER F0R REPR0B0CTIvE RIuBTS, BEFENBINu B0NAN RIuBTS: AB0RTI0N PR0vIBERS FACINu
TBREATS, RESTRICTI0NS, ANB BARASSNENT 4u (2uu9), ovoiloble ot
http:iepiouuctiveiights.oigsitescii.civicactions.netfilesuocumentsBefenuingBumanRights.p
uf.
4
anu taken in 1994, with Congiess' passage of the Fieeuom of Access to Clinic
Entiances Act.
1u

The paiallels to the piesent uay aie stiiking. The Senate Committee Repoit, in
uesciibing the pioblem FACE was uesigneu to iemeuy, stateu that blockaues weie
"inteifeiing with the exeicise of the constitutional iight of a woman to choose to
teiminate hei piegnancy" anu that "such conuuct. . . thieatens to exaceibate an
alieauy seveie shoitage of qualifieu pioviueis available to peifoim safe anu legal
aboitions in this countiy."
11

Touay, women's access to aboition seivices is being blockeu thiough an avalanche
of pietextual laws uesigneu to accomplish by the pen what coulu not be
accomplisheu thiough biute foicethe closuie of facilities pioviuing essential
iepiouuctive health caie to the women of this countiy.
Yeai aftei yeai poll aftei poll shows that a stiong majoiity of Ameiicans favoi
ietaining the piotections of Roe v. WoJe.
12
So opponents of women's iepiouuctive
iights, seeking to make an enu iun aiounu public opinion anu the Constitution itself,
have shifteu theii stiategy. They have iesoiteu to obfuscating theii tiue agenua by
pushing laws that pietenu to be about one thing but aie actually about anothei.
They claim these laws aie about uefenuing women's health anu well-being, anu
impioving the safety of aboition caiebut they most assuieuly aie not. They aie
wolves in sheep's clothing. They aie auvanceu by politicians, not by uoctois, often
baseu on mouel legislation wiitten by explicitly anti-aboition gioups.

1u
18 0.S.C. 248.
11
FREEB0N 0F ACCESS T0 CLINIC ENTRANCES ACT 0F 199S, REP0RT FR0N TBE C0NNITTEE 0N LAB0R ANB
B0NAN RES00RCES, S. REP. N0. 1uS-117 (199S), at 2.
12
Louise Raunofsky & Ashby }ones, Support 6rows for Roe v. WoJe, WALL ST. }., }an. 22, 2u1S, at A2,
ovoiloble ot:
http:online.wsj.comnewsaiticlesSB1uuu1424127887S2SSu11u4S782SS8S1Su4S822uu; see
olso Nichael Lipka, S Iocts About Abortion, PEW RESEARCB CENTER (}an. 22, 2u14),
http:www.pewieseaich.oigfact-tank2u14u122S-facts-about-aboition ("Noie than six-in-
ten (6S%) 0.S. auults say they woulu not like to see the Supieme Couit completely oveituin Roe v.
WoJe, while about thiee-in-ten (29%) want to see the iuling oveituineu. These figuies have
iemaineu ielatively stable foi moie than 2u yeais.").
S
When Nississippi enacteu such a law in 2u12, a state senatoi put it quite plainly:
"Theie's only one aboition clinic in Nississippi. I hope this measuie shuts that
uown."
1S
0theis showeu theii hanus as well. Lt. uoveinoi Tate Reeves stateu that
the measuie "shoulu effectively close the only aboition clinic in Nississippi" anu
"enu aboition in Nississippi" when the bill passeu the state Senate.
14
uoveinoi Phil
Biyant, in vowing to sign the bill, saiu that he woulu "continue to woik to make
Nississippi aboition-fiee."
1S
When he actually signeu it, he saiu, "If it closes that
clinic, then so be it."
16
Right now, Nississippi's sole clinic is holuing on by viitue of a
tempoiaiy couit oiuei.
17

In Texas, uoveinoi Rick Peiiy, who calleu a seconu special session of his state's
legislatuie in 2u1S specifically to pass that state's most iecent set of aboition
iestiictions, not only ueclaieu his intention to "make aboition, at any stage, a thing
of the past" at a Texas Right to Life piess confeience
18
but also wiote the pieface
to this yeai's legislative playbook by the anti-aboition oiganization that wiote the
language on which paits of the Texas law aie baseu.
19

Noie iecently, the state legislative uiiectoi of one of the nation's leauing anti-choice
oiganizations openly ciiticizeu the movement's cynical focus on women's health

1S
Phil West, Hississippi Senote Posses Abortion Requlotion Bill, C0NNERCIAL APPEAL (Api. 4, 2u12),
http:www.commeicialappeal.comnews2u12apiu4mississippi-senate-passes-aboition-
iegulation-bill (quoting Sen. Neile Floweis).
14
}oe Sutton & Tom Watkins, Hississippi leqisloture Tiqbtens Restrictions on Abortion ProviJers, CNN
(Api. S, 2u12, S:2S AN), http: www.cnn.com2u12u4u4politicsmississippi-aboition.
1S
}ames Eng, Hississippi on Woy to Becominq Abortion-Iree Stote?, NSNBC.C0N (Api. S, 2u12, S:26
PN), http: usnews.msnbc.msn.com_news2u12u4uS11uS9SuS-mississippi-on-way-to-
becoming-aboition-fiee-state.
16
}effiey Bess, 6overnor Bryont Siqns New Requlotions Ior Hississippis 0nly Abortion Clinic,
NISSISSIPPI P0BLIC BR0ABCASTINu 0NLINE (Api. 16, 2u12, 6:S6pm),
http:mpbonline.oigNewsaiticlegoveinoi_biyant_signs_new_iegulations_foi_mississippis_only_
aboition_clinic ("If it closes that clinic then so be it. We aie going to continue to tiy to woik to enu
aboition in Nississippi anu this is an histoiic uay to begin that piocess.").
17
}ockson Womens Eeoltb 0rq. v. Currier, 94u F. Supp. 2u 416 (S.B. Niss. 2u1S).
18
Lauia Basset, Rick Perry: Bonninq Abortion ls Hy 6ool, B0FFINuT0N P0ST (Bec. 11, 2u12, S:27 pm),
http:www.huffingtonpost.com2u121211iick-peiiy-aboition_n_22797S4.html (last visiteu }uly
1S, 2u14).
19
ANERICANS 0NITEB F0R LIFE, BEFENBINu LIFE 2u14: TBE W0NEN'S PR0TECTI0N PR0}ECT, A STATE-BY-STATE
u0IBE T0 AB0RTI0N, BI0ETBICS, ANB ENB 0F LIFE, ovoiloble ot
http:aul.oiguownloausuefenuing_life_2u14.puf.
6
because it is so cleaily unconnecteu to the ieality of how safe aboition ieally is.
Naiy Spauluing Balch of the National Right to Life Committee, at a 2u14 confeience,
conceueu that uata show that aboition, even aftei the fiist tiimestei, caiiies a lowei
iisk of seiious complications than vaginal biiths, cesaiean sections, anu even plastic
suigeiy pioceuuies such as facelifts anu liposuction.
2u
Anu she iecognizeu the
absuiuity of asseiting women's health as a iationale foi some of the stiingent laws
legislatois have been leveling at aboition caie: "Who," she askeu, "woulu evei say
that we shoulu ban liposuction."
21

Aboition is one of the safest meuical pioceuuies,
22
yet is being singleu out foi
buiuensome iestiictions not placeu on compaiable meuical pioceuuies. Foi
example, ob-gyns who peifoim miscaiiiage completions in theii office piactices aie
not subject to these oneious iequiiements, uespite the fact that they aie peifoiming
the same meuical pioceuuie as aboition pioviueis, who aie subject to the
iequiiements.
2S

The Ameiican Neuical Association (ANA) anu the Ameiican College of 0bstetiicians
anu uynecologists (AC0u) have gone on iecoiu against many of these laws. Foi
example, in 2u12, the executive staff leaueiship of AC0u anu the foui othei
piofessional societies which togethei "iepiesent the majoiity of 0.S. physicians
pioviuing clinical caie" publisheu an euitoiial in the New Englanu }ouinal of
Neuicine noting the "alaiming" tienu of political inteifeience in meuicine. They

2u
Sofia Resnick, Notionol Riqbt to life Birector AJmits Preqnoncy ls Riskier Tbon Abortion, RB REALITY
CBECK (}uly 2, 2u14, 2:16 pm), http:ihiealitycheck.oigaiticle2u14u7u2national-iight-life-
uiiectoi-aumits-piegnancy-iisky-aboition.
21
lJ.
22
PlonneJ PorentbooJ of 6reoter Tex. Surqicol Eeoltb Svcs. v. Abbott, Biief of Amici Cuiiae Am. Coll.
0bstetiicians & uynecologists & Am. Neu. Ass'n in Suppoit of Pls.-Appellees & in Supp. of Affiimance,
No. 1S-S1uu8, at 2 (Sth Cii., fileu Bec. 19, 2u1S) (heieinaftei "AC0uANA S
th
Cii. Biief") ("Aboition is
one of the safest meuical pioceuuies peifoimeu in the 0niteu States. The iisk associateu with
chilubiith is appioximately fouiteen times highei.").
2S
See, e.q., Linua W. Piine & Bonoi NacNaughton, 0ffice Honoqement of Forly Preqnoncy loss, 84 AN.
FANILY PBYSICIAN 7S (2u11), ovoiloble ot http:www.aafp.oigafp2u11u7u1p7S.html (uesciibing
the methous of tieating a miscaiiiage); see olso, e.q., Tex. Bealth & Safety Coue Ann. 24S.uu2 (West)
(uefining "aboition" foi the puiposes of facility iegulation to incluue inuuceu but not spontaneous
aboition though they entail pioceuuies that aie substantially the same).
7
calleu out "laws |thatj woulu iequiie physicians to pioviue anu patients to
ieceive uiagnostic tests oi meuical inteiventions whose use is not suppoiteu by
eviuence, incluuing tests oi inteiventions that aie invasive anu iequiieu to be
peifoimeu even without the patient's consent," incluuing viiginia's law iequiiing
women to unueigo ultiasonogiaphy befoie having an aboition.
24

Recently, these conceins have piompteu both AC0u anu the ANA to file amicus
biiefs in the lawsuits challenging Texas' aumitting piivileges anu meuication
aboition law, Aiizona's meuication aboition iestiictions, anu Noith Caiolina's
manuatoiy ultiasounu law, making cleai that the iestiictions at issue weie not
meuically justifieu. Foi example, in the Texas case, the oiganizations fileu a joint
amicus biief stating that "theie is no meuically sounu ieason foi Texas to impose a
moie stiingent iequiiement on facilities in which aboitions aie peifoimeu than it
uoes on facilities that peifoim othei pioceuuies that caiiy similai, oi even gieatei,
iisks. Theiefoie, theie is no meuically sounu basis foi B.B. 2's |aumittingj piivileges
iequiiement. . B.B. 2 is also inconsistent with pievailing meuical piactices, which
aie focuseu on ensuiing piompt meuical caie anu uo not iequiie that each
inuiviuual aboition pioviuei have aumitting piivileges."
2S

But the ioaublocks keep coming. Since Texas passeu its sweeping set of iestiictions
a yeai ago, at least one thiiu of the state's clinics have been foiceu to stop pioviuing
aboition caie.
26
Theie is no clinic left in the entiie Rio uianue valley, an

24
Steven E. Weinbeigei et al., leqislotive lnterference witb tbe Potient-Pbysicion Relotionsbip, S67 N.
ENu. }. NEB 1SS7 (2u12), ovoiloble ot http:www.nejm.oiguoifull1u.1uS6NE}Nsb12u98S8.
2S
AC0uANA S
th
Cii. Biief, supro note 22, at 2-S; see olso PlonneJ PorentbooJ of Ariz. v. Eumble, No.
14-1S624, Biief of Amici Cuiiae AC0u & ANA in Supp. of Pls.-Appellants & in Supp. of Reveisal (9
th

Cii., fileu Apiil 2S, 2u14), at S ("The uistiict couit coiiectly iecognizeu that meuical aboition is
extiemely safe; that the meuical aboition iegimens employeu by |Plaintiffsj constitute sounu meuical
piactice in line with meuical noims anu the best inteiests of patients; anu that theie is no eviuence
|that Aiizona's meuication aboition iestiictionsj piomote women's health"); Stuort v. Comnitz, No.
14-11Su, Biief foi Amici Cuiiae AC0u & ANA at S (4
th
Cii., fileu }uly 1, 2u14) ("The uistiict couit
coiiectly helu that the 'Bisplay of Real-Time view' Requiiement |.j seives no meuical puipose anu
shoulu be invaliuateu.").
26
See, e.q., Chuck Linuell, Since New low, 0ne-TbirJ of Texos Abortion Clinics Close, STATESNAN.C0N,
(Nai. 6, 2u14, 2:11 PN), http:www.statesman.comnewsnewssince-new-law-one-thiiu-of-texas-
aboition-clinics-nu69u.
8
impoveiisheu aiea with ovei 1.S million iesiuents.
27
If the final iequiiement is
alloweu to go into effect in Septembei, the numbei of clinics will plummet to less
than 1u to seive a state of ovei 26u,uuu squaie miles anu 1S million women.
28

Even befoie this new law, a 2u12 stuuy in Texas founu that 7% of women iepoiteu
attempts to self-aboit befoie seeking meuical caie.
29
Now, women aie ciossing the
boiuei into Nexico to buy miscaiiiage-inuucing uiugs at flea maikets oi off the
shelves at phaimaciesanu then seeking neeueu caie back in Texas.
Su

Couits have noteu the pietextual natuie of these aboition iestiictions. In
pieliminaiily blocking Wisconsin's aumitting piivileges iequiiement, the uistiict
couit saiu that "the complete absence of an aumitting piivileges iequiiement foi
clinical |i.e., outpatientj pioceuuies incluuing foi those with gieatei iisk is ceitainly
eviuence that |thej Wisconsin Legislatuie's only purpose in its enactment was to
iestiict the availability of safe, legal aboition in this State, paiticulaily given the lack
of any uemonstiable meuical benefit foi its iequiiement eithei piesenteu to the
Legislatuie oi |toj this couit."
S1
Affiiming this uecision, }uuge Richaiu Posnei of the
0.S. Couit of Appeals foi the Seventh Ciicuit noteu "the appaient absence of any

27
Nanny Feinanuez, Abortion low Pusbes Clinics to Close Boors, N.Y. TINES, Nai., 7, 2u14, at A1,
ovoiloble ot http:www.nytimes.com2u14uSu7usciting-new-texas-iules-aboition-pioviuei-
is-shutting-last-clinics-in-2-iegions.html._i=u. ("Shoitly befoie a canulelight vigil on the siuewalk
outsiue, employees of the last aboition clinic in the Rio uianue valley in South Texas shut the uoois
eaily Thuisuay evening, making legal aboition unavailable in the pooiest pait of the state in the
wake of tough new iestiictions passeu last yeai by the Texas Legislatuie."); 0.S. Census Buieau,
Population Biv., Annual Estimates of the Resiuent Population: Api. 1, 2u1u to }uly 1, 2u12 (2u1u),
http:factfinuei2.census.govbkmktable1.uenPEP2u12PEPANNRESuSuuuuu0S48u61|uSuu
uuu0S4821S|uSuuuuu0S48427|uSuuuuu0S48489 (last accesseu }uly 1S, 2u14).
28
See Texas Quick Facts fiom the 0S Census Buieau,
http:quickfacts.census.govqfustates48uuu.html (last visiteu }uly 1S, 2u14).
29
Baniel uiossman et al, Tbe Public Eeoltb Tbreot of Anti-Abortion leqislotion, 89 C0NTRACEPTI0N 7S
(2u14), ovoiloble ot
http:www.utexas.euucolaoigstxpep_filespufuiossman,White,Bopkins,Pottei-
PublicBealthThieatofAnti-aboitionLegislation-Contiaception-2u14.puf.
Su
See, Eiica Belleistein, Tbe Rise of tbe BlY Abortion in Texos, ATLANTIC (}une 27, 2u14, 9:uu AN)
http:www.theatlantic.comhealthaichive2u14u6the-iise-of-the-uiy-aboition-in-
texasS7S24u; Linusey Beyeistein, 'Hiscorrioqe Honoqement': Tbe Next Iront in tbe Abortion Wors,
NEW REP0BLIC, }an. 29, 2u14, ovoiloble ot http:www.newiepublic.comaiticle116S99aboition-
texas-suivives-miscaiiiage-management.

S1
PlonneJ PorentbooJ of Wis., lnc. v. von Eollen, No. 1S-Cv-46S-WNC, 2u1S WL S9892S8, at *1u n.26
(W.B. Wis. Aug. 2, 2u1S) (emphasis in oiiginal).
9
meuical benefit fiom iequiiing uoctois who peifoim aboitions to have |aumittingj
piivileges at a neaiby oi even any hospital |anuj the uiffeiential tieatment of
aboition vis--vis meuical pioceuuies" with compaiable iisks.
S2

The 0klahoma Supieme Couit, in inteipieting 0klahoma's iestiictions on
meuication aboition as unconstitutional, agieeu with the state uistiict couit that the
law was "so completely at ouus with the stanuaiu that goveins the piactice of
meuicine that it can seive no puipose othei than to pievent women fiom obtaining
aboitions anu to punish anu uisciiminate against those who uo."
SS

In many states, the only thing holuing back the fuithei spieau of these veiy ieal
thieats to women's health anu lives aie couit oiueis blocking these laws fiom
taking effect.
S4
In many states, the passage of new laws anu subsequent litigation
goes on yeai aftei yeai aftei yeai. Foi example, 0klahoma passeu legislation
iestiicting access to meuication aboition in 2uu8, 2u11 anu now again in 2u14
SS
-
both eailiei laws weie enjoineu by couit oiuei
S6
(the most iecent woulu not go into
effect until late this yeai).
S7
Noith Bakota has just one clinic, which iemains open
because it has iepeateuly sueu the state ovei its succession of unconstitutional
laws.
S8


S2
PlonneJ PorentbooJ of Wisconsin, lnc. v. von Eollen, 7S8 F.Su 786, 791 (7th Cii. 2u1S).
SS
Cline v. 0klo. Cool. for ReproJ. }ustice, S1S P.Su 2SS, 262 (2u1S) (quoting 0klo. Cool. for ReproJ.
}ustice v. Cline, No. Cv-2u11-1722, slip op., 7 (Bist. Ct. 0kla. Cnty. Nay 11, 2u12)) (emphasis
omitteu).
S4
See, e.q., supro notes 7, 17, S1-SS & infro notes SS-S8, anu accompanying text.
SS
Senate Bill 1878, 2uu8 0kla. Sess. Law Seiv. Ch. S6 (couifieu at 0kla. Stat. tit. 6S, 1-728 et seq.)
(multiple iestiictions, incluuing on meuication aboition); Bouse Bill 197u, 2u11 0kla. Sess. Law Seiv.
Ch. 216 (amenuing 0kla. Stat. tit. 6S, 1-729a) (iestiictions on meuication aboition); Bouse Bill
2684, 2u14 0kla. Sess. Law Seiv. Ch. 121 (amenuing 0kla. Stat. tit. 6S, 1-729a) (same).
S6
Novo Eeoltb Systems v. FJmonJson, No. C}-2uu8-9119, slip op. (0kla. Bist. Ct. Sept. S, 2uu9) (finuing
2uu8 Senate Bill 1878 unconstitutional); Cline v. 0klo. Cool. for ReproJ. }ustice, 292 P.Su 27 (2u12)
(iuling that 2u11 law imposing iestiictions on piovision of meuication aboition was
unconstitutional); see olso iJ., S1S P.Su 2SS (2u1S) (explaining scope anu unconstitutionality of 2u11
law in iesponse to ceitifieu questions fiom 0.S. Supieme Couit).
S7
Senate Bill 1878, see n. SS supro.
S8
Foi example, Noith Bakota Bouse Bill 14S6, which was enacteu in 2u1S anu bans aboition once a
heaitbeat is uetectable, has been peimanently enjoineu by a feueial uistiict couit. HKB Hqmt. Corp. v.
BurJick, 2u14 WL 16SS2u1 (B.N.B. Apiil 16, 2u14) (finuing Noith Bakota's ban on aboition once a
heaitbeat is uetectable unconstitutional anu peimanently enjoining its implementation), oppeol fileJ

1u
While couits iepeateuly stiike uown these iestiictions as unconstitutional, such an
outcome is fai fiom assuieu. When the piovision in last yeai's Texas law iequiiing
aumitting piivileges was challengeu, the uistiict couit, in issuing a peimanent
injunction, helu that the law was unconstitutional because "aumitting piivileges
have no iational ielationship to impioveu patient caie."
S9
But when the state
appealeu that iuling, the 0.S. Couit of Appeals foi the Fifth Ciicuit chose to ignoie
the eviuence in fiont of the tiial couit anu iuleu insteau that the State uiu not have
to supply any eviuence at all in suppoit of its claim that the law was ieally about
piotecting women's health, anu that speculation was enough to justify iestiicting
women's constitutional iights.
4u

Cleaily, stiongei legal piotections aie neeueu. The Women's Bealth Piotection Act
woulu enfoice anu piotect a woman's iight anu access to safe, legal aboition caie no
mattei what state she lives in. It woulu piohibit states fiom singling out
iepiouuctive health caie pioviueis with oppiessive iequiiements that giossly
exceeu what is necessaiy to ensuie high stanuaius of caie anu that apply to no
similai meuical piactices. Tiue health anu safety laws that apply to all similaily
situateu meuical caie woulu be maintaineu, while uangeious iegulations passeu
unuei pietext that cut off access to aboition caie anu enuangei women's health anu
lives woulu be piohibiteu. It woulu iequiie states to iegulate aboition caie as it
uoes othei similaily low-iisk piactices anu pioceuuies.

No. 14-2128 (8
th
Cii. Nay 14, 2u14). Bouse Bill 1297, which was enacteu in 2u11 anu iestiicts the
piovision of meuication aboitions, has been peimanently enjoineu by a state uistiict couit. HKB
Hqmt. Corp. v. BurJick, No. u9-2u11-Cv-u22uS (N.B. Bist. Ct. }uly 1S, 2u1S) (finuing meuication
aboition iestiictions unconstitutional unuei state constitution), oppeol fileJ No. 2u1Su2S9 (N.B. Aug.
26, 2u1S). Senate Bill 2SuS, which was enacteu in 2u1S anu imposes an aumitting piivileges
iequiiement, was blockeu fiom going into effect; aftei seveial months, physicians at the state's only
aboition clinic weie able to obtain aumitting piivileges anu the challenge was uismisseu. lJ., slip op.
(N.B. Bist. Ct. }uly S1, 2u1S) (pieliminaiily enjoining aumitting piivileges iequiiement uuiing
penuency of couit pioceeuings), cose JismisseJ on stipulotion of porties (N.B. Bist. Ct. Nai. 14, 2u14).
S9
PlonneJ PorentbooJ of 6reoter Tex. Surqicol Eeoltb Servs. v. Abbott, 9S1 F. Supp. 2u 891, 9uu (W.B.
Tex. 2u1S) revJ by 748 F.Su S8S (Sth Cii. 2u14) (petition foi ieheaiing en banc fileu Api. 1u, 2u14).
4u
PlonneJ PorentbooJ of 6reoter Tex. Surqicol Eeoltb Servs. v. Abbott, 748 F.Su S8S, S94 (Sth Cii.
2u14), petition for rebeorinq en bonc fileJ (S
th
Cii. Apiil 1u, 2u14).
11
As the Supieme Couit ieminueu us ovei 2u yeais ago in PlonneJ PorentbooJ v.
Cosey, "it is a piomise of the Constitution that theie is a iealm of peisonal libeity
which the goveinment may not entei."
41
The most funuamental uecisions about oui
iepiouuctive health anu lives aie foi each of us - anu not the goveinment - to make.
Like it uiu 2u yeais ago, Congiess neeus to take action to ensuie that women's
constitutional iights, anu theii ability to make the most peisonal of uecisions, is not
taken fiom them.
Thank you.



41
PlonneJ PorentbooJ of Soutbeostern Pennsylvonio v. Cosey, SuS 0.S. 8SS, 847 (1992).