Shaheen, New Hampshire Congressional Delegation Highlight Impact of Abortion Bans Ahead of Roe v. Wade Anniversary

(Concord, NH) – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), alongside U.S. Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Annie Kuster (NH-02), joined Planned Parenthood of New England (PPNNE) to highlight the impact abortion bans and efforts to limit access to medication abortion have had in New Hampshire since Roe v. Wade was overturned. The delegation was also joined by Dr. Amy Lee, a New Hampshire provider, and Kayla Montgomery, the Vice President of Public Affairs at Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund. Photos from today’s event can be found here.

“Before Roe v. Wade was overturned, this landmark decision was a cause for celebration because it gave women across the country autonomy over their own bodies. Right now, we’re seeing relentless efforts to ban abortion and obstruct access to reproductive health care, and sadly, New Hampshire is no exception,” said Senator Shaheen. “I am grateful to the advocates and providers, like Planned Parenthood, Equality Health Center and Lovering Health Center, and all of the women and men who are speaking out and fighting to protect and restore women's access to reproductive rights in the Granite State.”

“Fifty-one years ago, the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision secured a woman’s fundamental freedom to control her own destiny — a freedom that was taken away with the Dobbs decision in 2022,” said Senator Hassan. “I was glad to join Planned Parenthood today to speak out about this dangerous time for reproductive freedom, when for the first time in American history, daughters are less free than their mothers were at their age. In the Live Free or Die state, we take our freedom seriously and we must all stay determined in our fight to restore and protect a woman’s fundamental freedom.”

“As we approach the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, I am reminded of the generations of women and men who tirelessly fought to ensure a woman’s right to an abortion. In 1991, my mother, State Senator Susan McLane, pushed for access to medication-assisted abortions in New Hampshire. Unbelievably, 33 years later, we must continue her efforts to protect women's bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “Here in the “Live Free or Die” state, we believe in less government interference in our personal lives. I’ll keep fighting to ensure women and their health care providers – not politicians – can make the private medical decisions that are right for them.”

“Granite State women must be able to make their own private, personal medical decisions - not the courts or politicians,” said Congressman Pappas. “In 2022, half a century of precedent was ended with the Dobbs decision, threatening the health and wellbeing of women in New Hampshire and across the country. We must continue to fight for reproductive freedom and to protect access to health care as radical politicians and judges attempt to play politics with women’s health care. I want to thank the local activists and leaders who are making a difference on this issue, and I remain committed to this fight for women’s personal freedoms.”

Senator Shaheen and the New Hampshire delegation have been unrelenting advocates for women’s reproductive rights even before the disastrous Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision jeopardized reproductive health care for millions of women. Before the Supreme Court overturned Roe, Shaheen and Hassan held a press conference with the New Hampshire congressional delegation and Planned Parenthood of Northern New England to discuss women’s freedoms and the implications for reproductive health with the overturning of the landmark Supreme Court case.

For years, Shaheen has fought to expand coverage of women’s reproductive health and successfully pushed an effort through Congress that was signed into law to ensure servicewomen have access to abortions in cases of rape or incest. Shaheen also leads policy priorities that invest in preventative care, including through her legislation, which Senator Hassan co-sponsors, to bring the cost of contraception for servicewomen and dependents in military families in line with coverage of the civilians they’re sworn to protect. Shaheen also recently led a letter with Senator Collins urging President Biden to address access to contraception among service members this year. Currently under TRICARE, the uniformed services health care program, service members must pay health insurance co-pays for preventative services, including contraception. This letter requests that the President prioritize access to contraception and provide the same coverage to service members that civilians receive. She has also led the Protecting Service Members and Military Families’ Access to Health Care Act to codify the Pentagon’s policies that provides necessary leave for abortion and other reproductive health care services, which she offered as an Amendment to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 NDAA. Senators Shaheen and Hassan are also leaders in the fight to protect Title X family planning centers in New Hampshire. The delegation has pushed for Title X funding, and following obstruction from Republicans on New Hampshire’s Executive Council, the delegation helped secure critical Title X funding for PPNNE.

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