Sherrill Blasts House Republicans’ Latest Attacks on Reproductive Health Care

WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill released the following statement after House Republicans brought additional anti-abortion legislation to the House floor this week:

“Extreme MAGA Republicans have once again made their priorities clear – taking aim at reproductive freedom as part of their ongoing crusade for a national abortion ban. Just as government funding was set to expire, and with allies in Israel and Ukraine waiting on crucial national security assistance, Washington Republicans are voting to limit college students’ access to comprehensive information about women’s reproductive health and to divert Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds toward harmful anti-abortion propaganda. It’s nothing short of appalling.

“It’s critical that we support our students, who are often far from their support networks and have limited access to financial resources. Having had two of my children while in law school, and now with my oldest about to head off to college, I know just how important it is that pregnant students have information about all their options to start a family and access to comprehensive reproductive health care.

“But while anti-abortion extremists want to force women to carry their pregnancies to term, they have no intention of supporting children, their mothers, or their families. That’s why I voted against today’s GOP bills that attack women’s reproductive freedom and access to information about critical health care resources. The decision if and when to start a family is a deeply personal one that should be left to a woman and her doctor – not politicians.”

House Republicans brought to the Floor this week two pieces of legislation to restrict women’s health. H.R. 6914 would mandate that colleges and universities give pregnant students information that supports carrying a pregnancy to term, but leave them in the dark about similar resources for comprehensive reproductive care, abortion, and conditions relating to pregnancy like miscarriage.

H.R. 6918 blocks the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from strengthening the TANF program and allows states to divert those funds to anti-abortion, so-called “crisis pregnancy centers,” which are well known for their work to spread harmful misinformation about reproductive health, including abortion, and are widely considered to be unethical by health care professionals, including the American Medical Association.

Representative Sherrill continues to lead in the fight for women’s health in Congress. She stood up for servicewomen and military families against Senator Tommy Tuberville’s efforts to overturn the Department of Defense’s abortion travel policy. She has introduced legislation to promote education about women’s heart health, and has co-led a bill to ensure women can access a full year’s supply of contraceptives, rather than just three months at a time. Finally, she is leading efforts to end “judge shopping” a tactic used by anti-abortion advocates to gain favorable outcomes.