NIRH’s Applauds Failure of Senate’s Deceitful Anti-Abortion Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 25, 2019
Contact: Noah Gardy, [email protected], 201-218-6310

Washington, DC– Following the failure today of Senate Republican’s extreme and deceitful anti-abortion legislation, Andrea Miller, President of the National Institute for Reproductive Health (NIRH), released the following statement applauding the bill’s defeat by a vote of 53 to 44 and denouncing the legislature’s effort to control women’s bodies, punish health care providers, and stigmatize abortion access.

“The persistent attempt by anti-abortion extremists to pass hateful bills like this is shameful,” said Andrea Miller, President of the National Institute for Reproductive Health. “Senate Bill 311 was yet another blatant attempt to stigmatize abortion, penalize health care providers, and perpetuate false and inflammatory rhetoric about abortion care. This bill is the latest example of anti-abortion politicians trying to micromanage this medical procedure and threaten providers with criminal and civil penalties, just to score cheap political points.

“I’m grateful to see common sense prevail. Instead of political stunts like Senate Bill 311, elected representatives need to pass laws that respect, support, and empower women, and protect medical providers. NIRH remains committed to advancing proactive policies that protect reproductive freedom, and we will not stop until everyone has access to respectful, quality, and affordable reproductive health care, including abortion.”

For more than a decade, NIRH has been a leader in the fight to advance reproductive freedom across the country. Recently, they were integral to the successful effort to repeal an outdated criminal abortion ban in Massachusetts, and they led the fight to pass New York’s landmark Reproductive Health Act. Earlier this year, NIRH published a report tracking the passage of more than 100 bills to advance reproductive health, rights, and justice in 27 states and the District of Columbia (D.C.).

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The National Institute for Reproductive Health builds power at the state and local level to change public policy, galvanize public support, and normalize women’s decisions about abortion and contraception.

Using a partnership model, NIRH provides state and local advocates with strategic guidance, hands-on support, and funding to create national change from the ground up. We form strategic partnerships with a wide range of organizations to directly impact the reproductive health and lives of women across the country. Each year, NIRH works in at least 20 states and more than a dozen localities; to date, NIRH has partnered with more than 150 reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations in 39 states and 56 localities across the country.