On Capitol Steps, Senator Murray Urges Nation to Rise Up to Defend Abortion Rights: “This is a Five Alarm Fire”

Senator Murray: “I am furious at the idea that Republicans are going to take us backward—that this will be the first generation of women with fewer rights than their mothers.”

***WATCH: SENATOR MURRAY’S FULL REMARKS HERE***

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined her Democratic colleagues in the Senate to sound the alarm and fight to protect the right to abortion in the wake of new reporting that the Supreme Court plans to overturn Roe v. Wade.

“If the report we saw last night is true—that the Supreme Court plans to end the constitutional right to abortion in this country, and overturn Roe v. Wade—this is a five alarm fire,” said Senator Murray. “In a matter of days or weeks, the horrifying reality is that we could live in a country without Roe. A country where women are forced to remain pregnant no matter their personal circumstances—and yes, we’re also talking about situations like rape or incest. A country where extreme politicians will control patients’ most private decisions. And let’s be clear—abortion bans won’t actually end abortions, they will just make them unsafe, and they will hurt the women with the least resources and the tightest budgets.”

Speaking on the Capitol steps, Senator Murray recalled the days before Roe—and made clear the grave stakes for women and people across this country if the Supreme Court goes ahead with its plan to eliminate the constitutional right to abortion.

“I remember life before Roe. I knew people who didn’t have somewhere to turn for a safe abortion. Who weren’t wealthy—so even if they could find one, they might not be able to afford it. People who got unsafe procedures that left them at a very young age, unable to give birth,” added Senator Murray. “I know how big of a difference it has made in the lives of so many women across our country, which is why I am furious at the idea that Republicans are going to take us backward—that this will be the first generation of women with fewer rights than their mothers.”

Senator Murray also made clear that the fight for abortion rights is not over—far from it.

“We will not be still. We will not be silent. We will not back down. And to those who haven’t felt the weight of this moment yet, who don’t think this could happen, who don’t think it matters to them—it’s time to wake up. Every single person—in every single state—needs to realize this impacts you, your choices, your rights,” said Senator Murray. “We need to fight back with everything we’ve got right now. We need a pro-choice majority in the Senate. We need to protect our pro-choice majority in the House. We need to send President Biden a bill that will protect every woman’s right to an abortion—and we are going to keep pushing to make it happen. Because women’s rights are at stake, women’s health is at stake, women’s economic security is at stake, women’s lives are at stake.”

Senator Murray’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below:

“Thank you.

“If the report we saw last night is true—that the Supreme Court plans to end the constitutional right to abortion in this country, and overturn Roe v. Wade—this is a five alarm fire.

“It’s exactly the kind of dangerous outcome I have been warning about—and was always the goal of Republicans.

“They’re already banning abortion in state legislatures across the country.

“They’re already planning for a federal ban right here in the Senate.

“And they already pushed through the far right Justices to overturn Roe and end the right to abortion.

“In a matter of days or weeks, the horrifying reality is that we could live in a country without Roe. A country where women are forced to remain pregnant no matter their personal circumstances—and yes we’re also talking about situations like rape or incest. A country where extreme politicians will control patients’ most private decisions.

“And let’s be clear—abortion bans won’t actually end abortions, they will just make them unsafe, and they will hurt the women with the least resources and the tightest budgets.

“I am furious—FURIOUS— that Republicans could be this cruel.

“That the Supreme Court could be this heartless.

“That in legislatures across the country, extreme Republicans are ready for their trigger bans to go into effect—excited even.

“It's craven, and I won't stand for it. I won’t sit quietly and neither should you.

“I know for so many women across the country, this is deeply personal—and it’s deeply personal to me too.

“I remember life before Roe.

“I knew people who didn’t have somewhere to turn for a safe abortion.

“Who weren’t wealthy—so even if they could find one, they might not be able to afford it.

“People who got unsafe procedures that left them at a very young age, unable to give birth.

“That has stayed with me to this day.

“As have so many of the stories I’ve heard from women after Roe.

“I know how big of a difference it has made in the lives of so many women across our country, which is why I am furious at the idea that Republicans are going to take us backward—that this will be the first generation of women with fewer rights than their mothers.

“My heart goes to everyone across the country who is feeling the weight of this news.

“But I am not done fighting on this issue—far from it. And I know women across the country aren’t either.

“We will not be still. We will not be silent. We will not back down.

“And to those who haven’t felt the weight of this moment yet, who don’t think this could happen, who don’t think it matters to them—it’s time to wake up.

“Every single person—in every single state—needs to realize this impacts you, your choices, your rights.

“It’s not happening to someone else, in some other state—it’s happening everywhere, and the highest court in the land is preparing to rip away your rights at this very moment.

“We need to fight back with everything we've got right now.

“We need a pro-choice majority in the Senate.

“We need to protect our pro-choice majority in the House.

“We need to send President Biden a bill that will protect every woman's right to an abortion—and we are going to keep pushing to make it happen.

“Because women’s rights are at stake, women’s health is at stake, women’s economic security is at stake, women’s lives are at stake.

“Thank you.”

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