Dear John,

This week, I submitted a discharge petition to force a vote in the House on the Women’s Health Protection Act to codify the right to an abortion into federal law. To bypass the Speaker and push the bill to a vote, 218 members of the House are needed. With 211 of my fellow Democrats signed on, we are working to find those last seven votes from our Republican colleagues. 

When the Supreme Court released their decision in Dobbs, the opinion stated: “The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion” and that “the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives.” 

And in the year since this decision, the people have spoken. 

In Kentucky: 52.3% of voters rejected Constitutional Amendment 2, keeping abortion-banning language out of the state’s Constitution. 

In Montana: 52.5% of voters rejected LR-131, an abortion-related bill that misrepresented required care for babies born with no chance of survival. 

In Michigan: 55.8% of voters approved Proposition 3, enshrining essential protections for abortion and pregnancy care in the state’s Constitution. 

In Pennsylvania: Senator Fetterman won his election, beating a staunch anti-abortion Republican, and expanding the Senate Democratic Majority.

When the people vote, the outcome is consistent, and abortion protections win. And the Republicans who represent communities in these and the many states that have protected abortion access this year have a duty to represent their constituents.

One year later is truly too late, but we will never stop fighting until the right to abortion is protected nationally and we pass the Women’s Health Protection Act. 

Judy