Evers leads coalition of Democratic governors in call to protect abortion rights at federal level
MADISON, Wis. — Gov. Tony Evers and 16 other governors are calling on congressional leaders to pass legislation guaranteeing continued access to abortions following a Monday night report that the U.S. Supreme Court may overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that guaranteed access to the procedure nearly 50 years ago.
In a letter sent to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the coalition called for federal lawmakers to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would, among other things, codify the rights granted by Roe v. Wade.
The bill was passed by the House of Representatives in September but has not yet made its way through the Senate.
RELATED: Wisconsin lawmakers quick to respond to report that Supreme Court may overturn Roe v. Wade
BREAKING: Today, I’m leading a coalition of 17 governors to call on Congress to immediately protect access to abortion and reproductive rights. We cannot wait for #SCOTUS to overturn #RoeVWade. We need action now, and we need to pass the #WHPA. Read our full letter here ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/y4NSFOE0qU
— Governor Tony Evers (@GovEvers) May 3, 2022
The coalition, made up entirely of Democratic governors, said the importance of passing a bill on the federal level “cannot be overstated.”
“The consequences of overturning Roe v. Wade for millions across the nation cannot be overstated. Our collective responsibility to defend access to reproductive health care, including abortion, has never been more important,” the letter reads. “Overturning Roe will turn back the clock on reproductive health, and Congress must immediately take action to ensure that our nation does not go backward and that the rights of all Americans to access reproductive health care and abortion continue to be protected.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, Gov. Jaren Polis of Colorado, Gov. Ned Lamont of Connecticut, Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, Gov. Steve Sisolak of Nevada, Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York, Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Gov. Kate Brown of Oregon, Gov. Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania, Gov. Daniel McKee of Rhode Island, Gov. Albert Bryan of the Virgin Islands, and Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington all signed the letter alongside Evers.
A full version of Evers’ announcement is available online.
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