Rep. Vargas Votes to Enshrine Reproductive Rights into Federal Law
Rep. Vargas Votes to Enshrine Reproductive Rights into Federal Law
WASHINGTON, D.C (July 15, 2022) — Today, Congressmember Juan Vargas voted to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act and the Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act. This legislation would enshrine the protections of Roe v. Wade into federal law and ensure that people could continue to make their own reproductive health decisions.
“I proudly voted for this legislation to restore the reproductive rights of millions of Americans,” said Rep. Vargas. “I’m deeply troubled by the conservative-controlled Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the half-century long precedent of Roe v. Wade. The adverse effects of this decision are already impacting many Americans seeking reproductive healthcare, disproportionately harming people of color who already face structural disadvantages. Our nation must move forward, not backward. I remain committed to fighting for reproductive freedom and codifying the right to reproductive care.”
The Women’s Health Protection Act, HR. 8296, would restore abortion access by:
- Codifying the right to receive abortion care;
- Ensuring that healthcare providers have a statutory right to provide abortion care.
The Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act, HR. 8297, would:
- Protect individuals traveling across state lines to obtain a legal abortion by ensuring no person acting under state law can prevent, restrict, impede, or otherwise retaliate against them;
- Prohibit interference against healthcare providers and those who assist them, those who assist in travel across state lines, and interstate commerce of Food and Drug administration approved and licensed drugs;
- Establish the private right of action for individuals to enforce their right to travel across state lines to obtain a lawful abortion.
“I urge Senate Republicans to vote to pass these two bills and return the power to make reproductive decisions to individuals,” continued Rep. Vargas.
The House has voted on the Women’s Health Protection Act before and voted for a second time on this legislation to again make the protections of Roe v. Wade the law of the land. Both bills will now go to the Senate for consideration. The full legislative text of both bills can be found here and here.
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Vargas represents California’s 51st Congressional District which includes the southern portion of San Diego County, all of Imperial County and California’s entire U.S.-Mexico border. Vargas was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012 and is currently serving his fifth term in Congress. He serves on the House Financial Services Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee.