Senate women: House late-term abortion bill is ‘an outrage’

Murray joined Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) in criticizing House Republicans for thinking they should make healthcare decisions for women. 

{mosads}“This House Republican bill that passed yesterday is a frontal assault on women’s health,” Boxer said. “They’re back in full-force with an even more extreme anti-choice and anti-women agenda.”

On Tuesday evening, the House voted 228-196 to impose a nationwide ban on abortions after 22 weeks of pregnancy. Boxer said that the bill did not include an exception for the health of the mother. At the last minute, Republicans added an exception for cases of rape and incest, but Boxer said, “They don’t fix the problem,” because the exception depends on if the rape or incest is reported to police.

Murray said that the House bill would take the nation backward 40 years — when the Supreme Court decided women have the right to make their own healthcare decisions in the Roe v. Wade case. She added that Republicans were politically motivated in taking the vote.

“They’ve shown this isn’t about what’s best for women,” Murray said. “It’s about political calculations and appeasing the far right.”

Republicans said the bill was needed to tighten abortion law in light of the Dr. Kermit Gosnell trial, in which the Pennsylvania abortion doctor was convicted of murdering several infants born alive after failed abortions.

President Obama threatened to veto the House bill on Monday.