Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Bringing The Reproductive Freedom For Women Act To The Senate Floor And Republicans Repeatedly Voting Against Legislation To Protect Reproductive Rights

Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor on advancing the Reproductive Freedom for Women Act in the Senate and on Senate Republicans’ recent votes against legislation to protect access to contraception and IVF ahead of the two-year anniversary of Roe v. Wade being overturned. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Yesterday, I took the first procedural step to place on the legislative calendar the Reproductive Freedom for Women Act – sponsored by Senator Murray and myself and cosponsored by every woman Senator on our side.

This measure affirms a woman’s fundamental right to choose, and calls for enshrining the protections of Roe into law, as most Americans say they want. I will work with my colleagues to bring it to the floor as soon as possible.

As we approach the two-year anniversary of Roe v. Wade being overturned, this month could have been a month when the Senate came together to protect Americans’ reproductive freedoms.

This could have been a month when both sides came together to pass commonsense legislation protecting reproductive care like contraception and IVF.

This could have been a month when we put to rest the worries of the millions of women across America enduring attacks on their reproductive freedoms in the aftermath of Roe. But instead, June has been a dismal month for MAGA Republicans and their attacks on women, families, and reproductive rights.

In the last two 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 Republicans blocked federal protections for contraception a few weeks ago, they chose MAGA extremism over the American people.

When Republicans blocked federal protections for IVF a few days ago, they chose MAGA extremism over the American people.

And 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, that is choosing MAGA extremism over the American people.

Republicans cannot run away from a basic truth. That's why when we return, our bill to make sure that the Congress ensures the right to choose, the right to an abortion, will be before the Senate for a vote.

Republicans cannot run away from a basic truth: their record on women’s health care is outright abysmal, it is shameful, and it is dangerously out of step with the views of most Americans.

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