[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 104 (Thursday, June 20, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4161-S4162]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Reproductive Rights

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, next Monday, America will mark a dark 
anniversary: 2 years since the MAGA Supreme Court overturned Roe, 
unleashing a crisis of reproductive health. The day Roe was overturned 
will be remembered as one the darkest days for women's rights in modern 
history.
  Two years later, America looks almost unrecognizable when it comes to 
reproductive rights. Millions and millions of women across America have 
fewer freedoms today than their mothers and grandmothers did. At least 
20 States have passed total or near-total bans on reproductive 
freedom--shameful.
  This week, I moved to place the Reproductive Freedom for Women Act on 
the legislative calendar so we can be ready to move this bill soon. I 
thank Senator Murray for leading this bill and every woman Senator on 
our side of the aisle for cosponsoring it with me.
  Protecting freedom of choice is not a show vote. It is a ``show us 
who you are'' vote. The American people certainly want to know who 
their elective representatives truly are and are entitled to know where 
they stand on choice. That is why, all month long, we have prepared 
votes on choice and contraception and IVF. Americans want to

[[Page S4162]]

know where their representatives stand on such an important issue.
  Americans didn't elect us to sweep these issues under the rug, even 
if some Senators think they are difficult. By voting on these bills on 
women's healthcare, we are moving the issue forward because it is 
important for Members to be forced to take a position. That is the only 
way we will make progress.
  Of course, some would want to sweep it under the rug. They say it is 
political. That is because they don't want to vote on it. They don't 
want to show their constituents that they are blocking something that 
the majority of their constituents demand.
  We all know these issues are very, very personal to so many people. 
We all know that the other side is trying to hide. We are not letting 
them hide, and we are not letting them hide because that is the only 
way we will move this issue forward--by being public, by showing where 
people stand, and then by having, as our system has been designed to 
work since it was founded, their constituents putting pressure on them 
to do the right thing.
  As I have made abundantly clear over the past couple of years, 
Democrats are always ready to work with the other side on legislation. 
But when we can't agree, Democrats aren't going to shy away from issues 
Americans fiercely care about, and protecting reproductive freedoms is 
among the most important issues in the minds of the American people.
  So, once again, let me repeat: Voting on reproductive freedom is a 
``show us who you are'' vote, and, all month long, Senate Republicans 
have shown everyone just how out of touch they have become with the 
mainstream. Hopefully, votes like this force them to change over a 
period of time.
  In the last 2 weeks, Senate Republicans have shown that, for all 
their attempts to sound moderate on reproductive care, when it comes 
time to vote, they choose MAGA extremism over the wishes and desires of 
the American people. When Senate Republicans blocked Federal 
protections for contraceptives, they chose MAGA extremists over the 
American people. When Senate Republicans blocked Federal protections 
for IVF, they chose MAGA extremism over the American people. When 
Donald Trump continues, to this day, to brag about working with Senate 
Republicans to confirm three hard-right Supreme Court Justices to 
eliminate Roe, he is choosing MAGA extremism over the American people.
  Make no mistake, the MAGA hard-right attacks on women are not done. 
First, it was abortion, then contraption, then IVF. What is next? If 
they get their chance, they will push for their ultimate goal of a 
national abortion ban.
  That is why voting on legislation protecting access to contraption 
and IVF is so important. That is why affirming a woman's fundamental 
right to choose is so important. And that is why Senate Democrats will 
continue to fight back against Republican attacks on reproductive care 
and never stop until the protections of Roe are the law of the land.