Senator Murray Statement on Kentucky and Florida’s Unconstitutional Abortion Bans

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement on the 15-week abortion ban that the Kentucky legislature enacted last night, which goes into effect immediately, and the 15-week abortion ban that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law today. Both laws fail to even provide an exception for rape, incest, or human trafficking.

“Kentucky and Florida have just joined Mississippi and Arizona to ban abortion after 15 weeks. West Virginia could be next. Not to mention states like Oklahoma, which just enacted a total abortion ban—or Texas and Idaho that have passed laws allowing people to sue for cash prizes for helping patients get abortion care.

“The goal of all these cruel laws is the same: denying patients the reproductive health care they need, forcing women to carry pregnancies to term when they don’t want to, and undermining and eroding all of our fundamental rights.

“It’s appalling. Republicans are fighting to take away a constitutional right every generation has known since Roe was decided in 1973—but Democrats are fighting to save it. We need everyone to join the fight—so if you want to ensure everyone has control over their own bodies: it’s time to speak out against these abortion bans in every way possible.”

###