Dear John,

We hope you are well as 2023 is ramping up and our fight for reproductive freedom continues apace. We want to take a moment to lift up some things we are working on and some things we are watching. As always, we’re so grateful for your support.

We are excited to share with you a recent Op-Ed I penned for Ms. Magazine, highlighting what you and I already know – when there is political will, there is always a way to get things done. In this piece, I call on governors and state legislatures to act to protect and expand access to care, pointing to the historic number of proactive initiatives that moved forward at the state and local levels in the immediate wake of the overturning of Roe.

Speaking of which, as 2023 legislative sessions are now opening, it’s imperative that we urge our leaders to represent us well – as they’ve been elected to do! Contact your state and federal representatives to remind them that we are counting on them to protect and expand access to abortion care. Even in states friendly to abortion care, it is critical that no stone is left unturned to solidify protections; and in states where abortion care is banned or strictly limited, there are still a number of measures that can be enacted to protect people seeking abortion care and their loved ones.

Keep an eye out for ballot measures and other initiatives from grassroots organizations. We’re thrilled that just a few weeks ago, the New York legislature gave final passage to an expansive Equal Rights Amendment for the state’s constitution which explicitly recognizes that discrimination on the basis of sex includes discrimination on the basis of “pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes and reproductive healthcare and autonomy.” This is the first Equal Rights Amendment in the country to explicitly protect pregnancy outcomes, and was the result of years of advocacy. Next stop – the 2024 ballot!

Of course, our opposition never lets up, even after they've succeeded in overturning Roe v. Wade and implementing abortion bans in at least a dozen states. That's why we're keeping a very close eye on the current lawsuit pending against the FDA that may severely limit or eliminate access to mifepristone, one of the medications commonly used for abortion medication regimens. We’ll keep you posted when we hear more (be sure to follow us on social media if you don’t already).

Take good care, and thank you again for being a part of the NIRH community.

In solidarity,

ANDREA MILLER

President
NIRH & NIRH Action Fund

National Institute for Reproductive Health
14 Wall St
Suite 3B
New York, NY 10005
United States

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