Elizabeth Warren Warns GOP Is 'Going After Contraception' Post-Dobbs

3 months ago

On the Senate floor, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) slammed Republicans on reproductive rights.

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Transcript

00:00 Senior Senator from Massachusetts.

00:03 Thank you, Mr. President.

00:05 I rise today because reproductive freedom is under attack.

00:09 In 2022, Donald Trump's far-right Supreme Court took away the constitutional right to an abortion,

00:17 completing the Republican Party's decades-long plan to overturn Roe.

00:23 Now, in some states, the court's decision revived abortion bans that had lain dormant since the 1800s.

00:30 In other states, the decision triggered new abortion restrictions, pre-written to go into effect the very day that Roe v. Wade was overturned.

00:42 The results have been horrific.

00:45 But here's the thing the Republican Party missed.

00:48 From Kansas to Ohio to California, reproductive rights are popular.

00:54 Americans overwhelmingly support the right to an abortion, the right to IVF, and the right to contraception.

01:03 In fact, these rights are so popular that Republicans want you to believe they support them.

01:10 But their actions speak for themselves.

01:14 First, Republicans said they wouldn't overturn Roe v. Wade.

01:19 Donald Trump and his extremist Supreme Court did.

01:23 And Trump is still bragging about it.

01:26 Now, over 20 states have banned or severely restricted abortion access,

01:32 passed laws criminalizing doctors who perform abortions,

01:37 or threatened access to pregnancy care, miscarriage care, fertility assistance, and more.

01:45 Then, Republicans claimed they wouldn't go after IVF.

01:49 Just this year, Alabama's Supreme Court virtually outlawed IVF in the state.

01:56 And just a few weeks later, my colleagues in the Republican Party blocked federal legislation that would protect access to this care.

02:06 Now, the Republican Party is saying they won't go after contraception.

02:11 Well, that makes sense, since 92% of Americans support birth control.

02:18 But, guess what? Republicans now have contraception in their sights.

02:24 And they are even trying to redefine what constitutes contraception.

02:30 Sure, they support contraception, but not an IUD.

02:35 Or, they're all for contraception, but not Plan B.

02:40 Contraception is a must, except Republicans in Congress have a bill,

02:48 quote, "the Life at Conception Act," that would give an embryo so-called "personhood rights,"

02:57 which would outlaw abortion, outlaw IVF, and yes, outlaw some forms of contraception.

03:05 That bill has the majority support of the Republican caucus, including Speaker of the House Mike Johnson.

03:14 On top of that, Republicans blocked Democrats from passing this very same bill to protect the right to contraception last year.

03:24 But tomorrow, every senator will have to say where they stand,

03:30 proving that no matter what Republicans say about wanting to support contraception,

03:37 when it comes down to it, they won't.

03:40 Tomorrow's vote should be a turning point.

03:43 It's time we take these Republican lawmakers at their word.

03:47 Millions of people across this country are already experiencing a new form of hell

03:54 thanks to Donald Trump and the extremist Supreme Court that overturned Roe.

04:00 And black, brown, and low-income communities are feeling a disproportionate impact.

04:06 So now, as Donald Trump continues to push for a nationwide abortion ban

04:13 and says he is "looking at" contraception, Democrats are standing up and fighting back.

04:21 Already, President Biden and Vice President Harris have taken a series of steps

04:27 to strengthen access to affordable, high-quality contraception

04:33 and adequate access to reproductive health care more generally.

04:38 And tomorrow, I will be joining my Democratic colleagues,

04:43 led by my partner Senator Markey and by Senator Hirono and Senator Duckworth,

04:49 in voting for the Right to Contraception Act.

04:53 Birth control is safe, effective, and an important part of reproductive health care.

05:01 It is time that we fight back against the Republican war against reproductive freedom.

05:09 It's time we codify the right to contraception into law.

05:15 I am furious that millions of women have lost fundamental rights.

05:21 I am furious that their freedom to make their own decisions

05:25 has been taken away by a small number of extremists.

05:30 I am alarmed by what the extremist Supreme Court and congressional Republicans

05:36 are prepared to do to unravel a future of protection for women under a Republican presidency.

05:45 This is about the right to make decisions about our own bodies and our own futures.

05:52 It's all on the line, and we need these protections written into law.

05:59 That is what tomorrow's vote is about.

06:02 I don't want to hear from Republicans who say they support contraception,

06:06 but can't make it the law of the land.

06:09 If they really support contraception, then they will vote yes on the bill that comes up tomorrow.

06:16 If not, actions speak louder than words.

06:20 They will demonstrate that it's not only going after abortion,

06:24 it's not only going after IVF, it's also all about going after contraception.

06:30 These are the decisions women should make for themselves.

06:33 They should have the freedom to do that.

06:35 These are not the decisions that should be made by extremist Republican lawmakers.

06:41 Mr. President, I yield the floor.

06:45 [BLANK_AUDIO]

Elizabeth Warren Warns GOP Is 'Going After Contraception' Post-Dobbs

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