Statement from AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler on the passage of the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) in the U.S. House of Representatives:
We applaud the pro-worker majority in the House for passing the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) for a second time. Over the past three weeks, we have begun to see the damage and the harm inflicted on working people and their families from the Supreme Court decision and the actions of extremist lawmakers. WHPA would ensure that anyone who needs critical reproductive care, as well as their providers, are protected under federal law. The labor movement stands behind every person’s right to control their own bodies and to make the decisions they need to stay healthy, safe and secure. It is also hard to believe lawmakers are standing in the way of legislation that would protect the right to travel across state lines for care, a right recognized by the U.S. Constitution and the Supreme Court. Reproductive rights are workers’ rights, and we will not stand by as right-wing lawmakers and judges continue to attack our ability to come together to fight for the care and the benefits we deserve.
It’s past time for Republican leaders in the Senate to get out of the way of progress and do their duty to protect the freedoms of all working people.
Contact: Danielle Noel, 202-637-5018