Hearing on DC Abortion Ban Excludes Rep. Norton; Highlights Harms of Proposal

The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH) expressed concern today that Representative Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D-DC) was blocked from testifying at a Judiciary Subcommittee hearing to consider an unconstitutional ban on abortion in Washington, DC. The bill, H.R. 3803, prohibits women in the District of Columbia from accessing abortion care at and after 20 weeks of fertilization and imposes severe criminal and civil penalties for medical providers.
“We are deeply troubled by this attack on the rights of women the District to make their own personal, private decisions about their medical care,” said Jessica González-Rojas, executive director of NLIRH. “Furthermore, we stand with the people of the DC, who have chosen to elect representatives that support women’s health, in resisting this attack on home rule.”
H.R. 3803 will disproportionately impact women of color, low-income, and immigrant women who already face numerous barriers, which delay the process of receiving abortion care. These barriers include, but are not limited to, lack of access to quality and affordable health care, lack of financial resources, discrimination and stigma related to immigration status, and limited English proficiency.
“This bill, and similar laws like the one recently passed in Arizona, endanger women’s lives and make it harder for Latinas to get the care they need. It’s dangerous policy, pure and simple,” added González-Rojas.
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