WHPA prohibits states from passing medically-unnecessary regulations

Statement of Vicki Saporta, President and CEO of the National Abortion Federation (NAF) on the reintroduction of the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA):

Today, Senator Blumenthal and Senator Baldwin, joined by Representative Chu, Representative Fudge, and Representative Frankel reintroduced the Women’s Health Protection Act. This important bill would prohibit states from passing medically-unnecessary regulations that single out abortion providers, thus ensuring that women across the country have access to the abortion care they need no matter where they live.

Although abortion is legal and constitutionally protected, it is not always accessible. Since 2011, we have seen an unprecedented number of medically-unnecessary, politically-motivated restrictions aimed at reducing women’s access to abortion care being introduced and enacted in the states. This patchwork of medically-unnecessary state laws and burdensome regulations has created a situation where a woman’s ability to access abortion care now largely depends on her zip code. Things will only get worse if Trump gets his way and Roe v. Wade is overturned.

Given the excessive targeting of abortion providers in the states and the Trump-Pence agenda of totally banning abortion, the time has come for a federal law that would protect abortion access for women throughout the country. We cannot continue to allow anti-choice politicians to interfere with women’s private medical decisions.

NAF commends the sponsors and co-sponsors of the Women’s Health Protection Act and urges others in Congress to support this important legislation.

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The National Abortion Federation (NAF) is the professional association of abortion providers. Our members include individuals, private and non-profit clinics, Planned Parenthood affiliates, women’s health centers, physicians’ offices, and hospitals who together care for approximately half the women who choose abortion in the U.S. and Canada each year. Our members also include public hospitals and both public and private clinics in Mexico City and private clinics in Colombia. Our mission is to ensure safe, legal, and accessible abortion care, which promotes health and justice for women.