National Council of Jewish Women Applauds Reintroduction of Women’s Health Protection Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 30, 2022
CONTACT: Jake Green, jgreen@ncjw.org
NATIONAL — Today the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), proactive legislation to enshrine the right to abortion care into law, was reintroduced in the House of Representatives. National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) CEO Sheila Katz released the following statement in response:
“With the reintroduction of the Women’s Health Protection Act, Congress is one step closer to securing the constitutional right to reproductive freedom at a time when millions of Americans do not have access to comprehensive reproductive health care, including abortion. This legislation would permanently codify the federal right to abortion and safeguard access to high-quality reproductive health care, securing constitutional rights that protect patients and medical providers from political interference.
“As reproductive rights have been dismantled, women and others who can be pregnant have been left to deal with the traumatic aftermath with their families and communities. The overturning of Roe v. Wade caused legal and medical chaos to unfold across the country, harming pregnant patients and leaving them without access to essential health care. Women have been stripped of their basic human dignity as they were denied medical care for miscarriages. Many pregnant people have had to travel across state lines to have abortions, straining facilities in abortion-friendly states. In other cases, people have died due to lack of care. This is a moral emergency.
“Abortion access is a racial justice issue. The reality is abortion bans disproportionately target Black women across the country, at a time when the maternal death rates for Black women is more than twice as high as those of white women. This crucial data is outlined in the impact section of the bill, which tells the health equity story necessary to create a durable solution for everyone seeking abortion care.
“Abortion bans place greater value on the life of the fetus than on the pregnant person, a violation of both Jewish law and tradition and of American religious liberty. Passing the Women’s Health Protection Act would end these bans and allow everyone to make their own decisions about their reproductive lives and futures with their doctors and families.
“NCJW calls on Congress to pass the House version of the Women’s Health Protection Act to codify the right to abortion, saving lives and preserving dignity for millions of American women and people who can become pregnant. Reproductive freedom is and will always be a Jewish value, and NCJW advocates are unwavering in our fight to build a society where all women, children, and families can thrive with dignity.”
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National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is the oldest Jewish feminist civil rights organization working for equity and justice for women, children, and families in the United States and Israel. Through the efforts of our 210,000 grassroots advocates and 50 local sections, NCJW combines education, direct service, and advocacy to affect lasting social change at the local, state, and national levels. We approach our work Jewishly and through the intersections of gender, economic, and racial justice to center those most impacted. Learn more at NCJW.org, and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.