Adams Delivers Floor Speech Supporting Abortion Rights

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 15, 2022) – This morning, Congresswoman Alma Adams (NC-12) delivered a speech on the floor of the United States House of Representatives in support of the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would codify a right to reproductive freedom and abortion care into law. The legislation comes in the wake of the Supreme Court’s holding in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned the long-standing precedent established by Roe v. Wade.

Video of the speech is available on C-SPAN here.

“I rise today because I’m pretty damn angry,” said Adams. “The Supreme Court’s decision overturning the right to abortion care is fundamentally wrong. The Supreme Court greenlit forced pregnancy, taking away the right to bodily autonomy for women. Abortion is still health care, and people will still need to access it. That’s why I’m supporting the Women’s Health Protection Act.”

Adams’ remarks as prepared for delivery are below:

I rise today because I’m angry. The Supreme Court’s decision overturning the right to abortion care is fundamentally wrong.

The Supreme Court greenlit forced pregnancy, taking away the right to bodily autonomy from women. However, abortion is still health care, and people will still need to access it.

That’s why I’m supporting the Women’s Health Protection Act.

In the wake of the Dobbs decision, we have a state-by-state patchwork that denies women equal protection under the law. While abortion is still legal in my home of North Carolina, the State of Texas is suing the government to compel women to carry pregnancies to term, even if it kills the mother. The Attorney General of Indiana wants to force rape victims – even 10 year old girls – to carry pregnancies to term.

We have a responsibility to stop this draconian overreach by state governments. We must make reproductive freedom the law of the land.

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