Tennessee Democratic lawmakers last Friday marked the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision (Jan. 22, 1973), the landmark case that guaranteed a private right to an abortion in America.
In a state where Republican politicians have now banned all abortion procedures, even in cases of rape, incest and to protect the health of the mother, Democrats resolved to restore access to safe and legal reproductive care.
Sen. London Lamar, D-Memphis, chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Caucus said: “Under Republican control, Tennessee is a forced birth state. They are forcing women to give birth in a state where we are not doing a good job of taking care of the children we already have. Our state is not safe for many children.
“What would be the 50th anniversary of Roeis a reminder that Tennessee Democrats are working to build a future where all Tennesseans have access to safe and legal reproductive care. If the state wants to discourage women from accessing abortion services, do a better job of giving women the tools and resources to have a healthy pregnancy and raise children free of harm and poverty.”
“Unfortunately, we find ourselves in a state where women and families are suffering from the most restrictive, forced-birth bill in the entire country,” said Rep. John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. “The law that exists today in Tennessee is not only harmful to women, but it’s harmful and adversely impacts every Tennessee family.”
New state senator Charlane Oliver said: “This is a bad choice that our state is engaging in to force women to have babies. This is cruel. It’s authoritarian to tell women what to do with their bodies from people who have never birthed a baby.
“Let’s do the real people’s business and make sure that every woman in this state who wants to have a baby has choices and options available to them: healthcare, paid family leave, gender equity in the workplace.”
