Maloney Holds Virtual Panel to Discuss State of Abortion Rights in America
New York, NY – This morning, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12), lead sponsor of the Equal Rights Amendment, the Access to Birth Control Act, and the Stop Anti-Abortion Disinformation Act, held a virtual panel of experts to discuss the state of abortion rights in our country. Maloney led a discussion on the impact of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, what New York State is doing to protect people seeking abortions, what resources are available in New York State, and what’s next in this fight.
Among the panelists were Assemblymember Rebecca Seawright; Dr. Kirsten Siegenthaler, Director of the New York State Department of Health’s (NYDOH) Division of Family Health; Sarah Lopez, Abortion Storyteller at We Testify and Youth Program Manager at Jane’s Due Process; Cynthia Soohoo, Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Human Rights and Gender Justice Clinic at the City of New York School of Law; Dr. Anne Davis, Associate Chief Medical Officer at the Planned Parenthood of Greater New York; Andrea Salwen Koppel, Executive Director at the National Council of Jewish Women NY; and Candace Bond-Theriault, Director of Racial Justice Policy & Strategy at Columbia Law School’s Center for Gender & Sexuality Law.
“Nearly two months ago, a right-wing majority on the Supreme Court fulfilled the Republican Party’s decades-long goal of overturning Roe v. Wade—and stripped away a constitutional right relied on by generations of American women,” said Rep. Maloney. “Make no mistake. These right-wing extremists are not pro-life, but pro-controlling the bodies of women, girls, and any person who can become pregnant. And in just eight short weeks, the impacts of the Dobbs decision have been devastating. Abortion is now illegal in 10 states, and another five states now ban abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, before many people know that they are pregnant. But the Republicans aren’t stopping there, as they are working to pass additional state laws to restrict or prohibit abortion as well as a national abortion ban. Recently, I announced a 12-point plan to restore and expand abortion access, protect birth control, and ensure other privacy rights on the federal level. This plan includes certifying and publishing the Equal Rights Amendment and passing two bills that I introduced this Congress: the Access to Birth Control, which prevents pharmacies from refusing to provide contraception, and the Stop Anti-Abortion Disinformation Act, which goes after crisis pregnancy centers that spread disinformation to stop people from getting abortions. My plan also includes providing greater access to medication abortion and Senate passage of legislation to protect abortion rights, contraception, and same-sex marriage, three bills that the House passed earlier this year. We cannot and we must not give up. The fight continues.”
“Abortion remains a safe, legal human right in New York State, but that’s not the case for much of the country,” said Dr. Kirsten Siegenthaler, Director of the NYSDOH Division of Family Health. “The SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe not only removes fundamental reproductive rights, but it also puts the health of millions of women in danger. Abortion is healthcare and it should be every woman’s right to choose.”
“Planned Parenthood of Greater New York is proud to provide abortion care for anyone in need. We provide safe, compassionate abortion services for our neighbors here in New York State and for those who travel to us from other states and around the world,” said Dr. Anne Davis, Associate Chief Medical Officer at Planned Parenthood of Greater New York.
“Young people should be able to access the full range of reproductive healthcare, including abortion, in their own communities and without fear of criminalization or stigma,” said Sarah Lopez, Abortion Storyteller at We Testify and Youth Program Manager at Jane’s Due Process.
"The Dobbs case has opened the door to extreme state laws that ban abortions in almost all circumstances. These laws violate the fundamental rights of pregnant people and place their lives and health in danger. As the recent referendum in Kansas illustrates, these laws do not reflect the will of the majority of American people. It’s crucial that government officials at all levels take steps to support and protect people who need abortions and the people who care for them,” said Cynthia Soohoo, Co-Director of the Human Rights and Gender Justice Clinic and Professor of Law at the City of New York School of Law.
"Our current post-Roe world is, unfortunately, nothing new for too many women of color, LGBTQIA+ folks and young people. Fortunately, we already have proactive solutions, like ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment, which would add an explicit guarantee of sex equality to the United States Constitution and would protect the right to abortion and the full range of reproductive healthcare. Women of color deserve to live with dignity and have the autonomy to determine if, when, and how to have a child,” said Candace Bond-Theriault, Director Racial Justice Policy & Strategy at Columbia Law School’s Center for Gender & Sexuality Law.
A full replay of the abortion rights information session can be found here.
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