Statement of The Very Reverend Katherine Ragsdale, Interim President and CEO of the National Abortion Federation (NAF), on Alabama’s passage of a blatant attack on Roe v. Wade:
“In passing this atrocious bill, Alabama’s state legislators have shown their complete disregard for the U.S. Constitution and the needs of their constituents. Anti-choice politicians have once again demonstrated that they would rather advance their extreme personal agenda than ensure the safety and well-being of their constituents. They are playing games with people’s lives and their constitutionally-protected rights.
No health care provider should ever fear jail time for providing the safe health care their patients need. No one wants health care providers to have to decide if their patients are close enough to death to risk up to 99 years in prison. This demonizing of abortion providers only emboldens anti-abortion extremists, knowing they have outspoken allies in elected office.
We and our members will continue fighting to ensure people needing access to abortion care are able to obtain the compassionate health care they need.
Governor Ivey must put her constituents’ health and rights first and veto this bill.”
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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.