May 21, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 85 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Pages S3011-S3012]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 18--SUPPORTING REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE IN 
                           THE UNITED STATES

  Mrs. MURRAY (for herself, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Schumer, Mr. 
Blumenthal, Mr. Brown, Ms. Cantwell, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. 
Bennet, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Duckworth, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Wyden, 
Mr. Whitehouse, Ms. Harris, Mr. Coons, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Schatz, Ms. 
Stabenow, Mr. Leahy, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. Smith, Mr. 
Tester, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Sanders, Ms. Warren, Ms. Hirono, Mrs. 
Gillibrand, Mr. Booker, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Markey, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. 
Hassan, Mr. Peters, Mr. Carper, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Reed, Mr. Udall, Mr. 
Durbin, Mr. King, Mr. Warner, and Ms. Sinema) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions:

[[Page S3012]]

  


                            S. Con. Res. 18

       Whereas Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973) upholds the 
     constitutional right to privacy, including in health care 
     decisions and the right to access abortion care;
       Whereas Roe v. Wade demonstrates quality legal reasoning 
     and is consistent with related precedent since it was based 
     on sound legal principles first established in Griswold v. 
     Connecticut (1965) and Eisenstadt v. Baird (1972), and 
     repeatedly reaffirmed by the Supreme Court, including in 
     Obergefell v. Hodges (2015);
       Whereas the facts that have developed since Roe v. Wade was 
     decided reaffirm that people of the United States support the 
     right to choose, that abortion is a medically safe procedure, 
     and that access to reproductive health care provides women 
     with greater economic opportunities;
       Whereas the rights established in Roe v. Wade have been 
     relied upon in this country for almost 50 years;
       Whereas a majority of people of the United States support 
     access to abortion care;
       Whereas, while the State of Alabama, the State of Georgia, 
     and other States passed laws in 2019 that clearly seek to 
     overturn Roe v. Wade and are unconstitutional; meanwhile in 
     2018 there were over 60 bills introduced in more than 21 
     States to protect and expand access to reproductive care;
       Whereas low-income individuals and women of color are 
     disproportionally impacted by restricting access to abortion 
     care; and
       Whereas when States have enacted laws in violation of Roe 
     v. Wade, health clinics close and health care services 
     disappear: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress supports efforts to--
       (1) ensure that all women can access comprehensive, 
     unbiased information and make their own health care 
     decisions;
       (2) promote preventive health care services for women;
       (3) ensure that all women have access to comprehensive, 
     affordable health care that includes pregnancy-related care, 
     including prenatal care, miscarriage management, family 
     planning services, abortion care, labor and delivery 
     services, and postnatal care; and
       (4) improve women's access to reproductive health care, 
     regardless of the State in which they reside.

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