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[GRACE Act Press Conference]
HELLO LEVEL.JUST WANT TO WELCOME EVERYBODY.
WE'RE ACTUALLY SURPRISINGLY RUNNING A FEW MINUTES AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.
UH, BUT UH, I BELIEVE JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY IS HERE AND I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GET THINGS STARTED.
UH, I AM, UH, CHIEF NOVELLA COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT FOUR AND SPONSOR OF THE GRACE ACT AGAIN, THANKS TO IT, WHICH JUST PASSED UNANIMOUSLY, UM, CITY COUNCIL.
I WISH WE COULD DO MORE TO PROTECT ABORTION RIGHTS, TO PROTECT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS HERE IN AUSTIN.
BUT I THINK IT'S AS MUCH AS WE CAN DO AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR OTHER AVENUES TO TRY TO FIGHT FOR, UH, ABORTION RIGHTS AND, AND, AND MORE THAN ANYTHING, I DO NOT WANT WOMEN, PEOPLE WHO TRY TO SELF-MANAGE IN ABORTION, INJURE THEMSELVES, HURT THEMSELVES TO HAVE ANY HESITANCY SEEKING MEDICAL CARE AFTER SOMETHING GOES WRONG.
I DON'T WANT SOMEBODY WHO IS BLEEDING, WHO IS INJURED TO BE LIKE, NO, I DON'T WANT TO GO TO PRISON.
I DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT HEALTH.
WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT INJURIES AND WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE AUSTIN AS SUPPORTIVE AND AS SAFE OF A CITY FOR ABORTION RIGHTS, FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
UH, I IT'S IT'S, I'M SO HAPPY THAT IT PASSED AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT SO MANY OTHER CITIES HAVE PICKED UP THE GRACE ACT AND RAN WITH IT.
UH, SAN ANTONIO SHOULD BE, UH, SPONSORING IT SOON.
UH, EL PASO TRIED TO PASS IT, BUT IT NARROWLY FAILED UNFORTUNATELY OVER THERE, BUT WE HAVE NASHVILLE, ATLANTA, UH, WACO.
NOW THERE'S A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
THAT'S GOING TO BE, UH, TRYING TO PUT IT ON THE WACO COUNCIL AGENDA.
AND SO THERE'S THIS MISPERCEPTION OUT THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN IS THAT TEXAS IS SOME KIND OF LIKE OVERWHELMINGLY ANTI-ABORTION STATE.
AND THAT'S JUST NOT THE REALITY.
UH, TEXAS HAS BEEN, I THINK, SHOOK BY WHAT HAS JUST HAPPENED ON THE SUPREME COURT AND THE FULL RAMIFICATIONS OF NO RAPE OR INCEST EXCEPTIONS.
THE WE'RE LOOKING AT AGAIN, THE NEW YORK TIMES HAD A STORY.
UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER QUINTUS MENTIONED ON THE DIES, WHERE AGAIN, IN AN 11 YEAR OLD GIRL, UH, WHO WAS RAPED, HAD TO GO OUT OF THE STATE TO SEEK CARE, SEEK HEALTH CARE, AND THAT'S EXTREMELY EXTREME ACCEPTABLE.
AND WE NEED TO PUSH BACK AGAINST THAT AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
AND THIS IS JUST THE FIRST STEP.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE MANY MEMBERS OF THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE WHO ARE HERE, WHO HAVE FOUGHT HARD AND WHO I KNOW ARE READY TO FIGHT EVEN HARDER.
THIS NEXT SESSION, TO TRY TO PUSH BACK AGAINST THE ANTI-ABORTION BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN PUSHED THROUGH THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WHO ARE ALSO HERE, STANDING IN SUPPORT THE UNANIMOUS PASSAGE OF THE GRACE ACT.
THANK YOU TO ALL THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND THE ADVOCATES WHO HELPED US WITH THE PROMOTION, THE DRAFTING.
SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO COME TOGETHER TO MAKE SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN, AND I'M JUST DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO ALL THOSE INVOLVED.
AND I, AND I'LL, I'LL PASS IT OVER TO HER RIGHT NOW, BUT I ALSO HAVE TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER OF
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP COMING WITH MORE RESOLUTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT AUSTIN IS AS SAFE AND PROTECTIVE OF ABORTION RIGHTS AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AS THEY CAN POSSIBLY BE COUNCILMEMBER POINTERS.
LET'S GIVE IT AFTER PASSING THE GRACE ACT.
MY NAME IS VANESSA
WE'RE PUTTING IN THE WORK AND WE'RE FIGHTING BACK FOR REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOMS. WE'RE FIGHTING BACK FOR AUSTINITES.
OUR ACTIONS TODAY WILL SHAPE THE FUTURE OF AUSTIN AND POSITION US AS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WILLING TO GO ON THE OFFENSIVE, BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE.
THERE WILL BE SOME TEXAS GOP WHO WILL NOT HESITATE TO TRY AND DE DE-LEGITIMIZED TODAY'S PROGRESS MORE.
WILL THEY STOP AT OUR REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOMS? THEY'VE ALREADY SPENT DECADES CHIPPING AWAY AT OUR MOST FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND THEY WON'T
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GIVE UP SO EASILY.BUT THEN AGAIN, NEITHER WILL WE, WHEN THEY ATTACK OUR BODILY AUTONOMY, WE WILL FIGHT BACK.
WHEN THEY GO AFTER TRANS RIGHTS AND MARRIAGE EQUALITY, WE WILL FIGHT BACK.
EVEN THOUGH WE ARE IN THIS DARK TIME OF THE COUNTRY IN OUR COUNTRY, THERE IS ONE PROMISE THAT I CAN MAKE.
THERE ARE MORE OF US THAN THERE ARE OF THEM.
AND THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT PROTECTING AUSTINITES.
IT'S ABOUT CREATING A NATIONAL MOVEMENT.
AS MY COLLEAGUE JUST MENTIONED, THERE ARE OTHER CITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, DIFFERENT STATES WHO ARE FIGHTING BACK AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO PROTECT OUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO BUILD THAT MOVEMENT AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT HARD WORK.
AND WHILE OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO STAY IDLE, IT'S UP TO US TO PUT IN THE WORK AND DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE CARE AND WE'RE PRESENT.
I AM AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEMBER PAGE JEALOUS, AND I AM PROUD TO REPRESENT DISTRICT EIGHT IN SOUTHWEST AUSTIN IN A STATE WITH A HIGH MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE, LACK OF SEX, EDUCATION, CONTRACEPTIVES, LACK OF ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, LITTLE ACCESS TO PARENTAL LEAVE.
IF FAILING FOSTER CARE SYSTEM CAN'T KEEP THE LIGHTS ON, BUT EASY TO ACCESS AN AR 15.
THE IDEA THAT OUTLAWING ABORTION CARE AS AN ASPECT OF BEING PRO-LIFE IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE.
IT IS ABOUT CONTROLLING THE LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS OF WOMEN, TRANS MEN NON-BINARY AND INTERSEX FOLKS AND OTHER PEOPLE AS A 38 YEAR OLD, NEWLY MARRIED WOMAN.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I WANT TO START A FAMILY IN TEXAS BECAUSE DOING SO CAN BE A THREAT TO MY OWN HEALTH.
WE ARE ALREADY SEEING THE STORIES OF PREGNANT PEOPLE, FLEEING TEXAS TO SECURE ABORTION IN ANOTHER STATE, CAUSING THEM TO MISS WORK, TO MISS OUT ON PAY, TO MISS TIME WITH THE FAMILIES AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD WANT TO START A BUSINESS IN TEXAS.
IF THIS IS HOW MY EMPLOYEES WOULD ACCESS HEALTHCARE.
WHEN WE PASS MY RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE AN AMICUS BRIEF SUPPORT.
AFTER THE PASSAGE OF SBA, WE ASKED THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO BE PUBLICLY VOCAL IN OPPOSITION TO THIS LAW, THE WAY THAT THEY HAVE BEEN AN OPPOSITION TO LAWS, THE LEGISLATURE PASSED THAT DISENFRANCHISE VOTERS AT THE TIME, NO ONE STEPPED FORWARD, BUT NOW THE MOMENT IS HERE.
WE ARE SEEING BUSINESSES BOLDLY STEP UP FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES.
ABORTION IS HEALTHCARE, AND WE NEED LEADERS AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT FROM THE CITY COUNCIL TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE, TO THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION AND TO THE WHITE HOUSE, TO STAND WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS WHO OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT PEOPLE HAVING ACCESS TO ABORTION.
I'M COUNCIL MEMBER, KATHY TOVO.
I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF REPRESENTING CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT NINE, AND I'M ALSO VERY GRATEFUL TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR BRINGING THESE MEASURES FORWARD AND REALLY GRATEFUL TO THOSE WHO CAME TODAY, WHO EMAILED OR WHO CALLED OR WHO CAME DOWN TO COUNCIL TODAY TO STAND UP FOR REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM.
UM, MY MOTHER WAS A LIFELONG REPUBLICAN AND SHE WAS ALSO A VERY STRONG SUPPORTER OF ABORTION ACCESS.
AND AS A TEEN, I REMEMBER ONCE ASKING HER ABOUT THAT.
AND SHE DESCRIBED IN HER RESPONSE, SHE DESCRIBED TO ME, UM, WHY SHE WAS A NURSE AND EARLY IN HER CAREER.
SHE WORKED IN A HOSPITAL PRIOR TO THE PASSAGE OF, OF THE ROE V WADE DECISION.
AND MY MOTHER DESCRIBED FOR ME THE NIGHT WHEN SHE AND OTHERS TRIED TO SAVE THE LIFE OF A WOMAN WHO HAD TRIED TO GIVE HERSELF AN ABORTION WITH A WIRE HANGER, NEVER AGAIN, MY MOTHER SAID, SHOULD WE BE IN A SITUATION IN THIS COUNTRY WHERE WOMEN DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO ACCESS A MEDICALLY SAFE, LEGAL ABORTION? EVERY WOMAN SHOULD HAVE A RIGHT TO MAKE THAT CHOICE FOR HERSELF.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK MY MOM COULD HAVE IMAGINED A COUNTRY, A WORLD IN WHICH ABORTION BECAME ILLEGAL AGAIN.
AND I KNOW, I SURE NEVER DID EITHER.
PEOPLE WHO GET PREGNANT MUST HAVE ACCESS TO MEDICALLY SAFE ABORTIONS.
EACH OF US HAS A RIGHT TO BODILY AUTONOMY AND THE SUPREME COURT, THIS SUPREME COURT JUST GOT IT WRONG.
OUR CITY COUNCIL IS AS ALL OF, YOU KNOW, HAS A LONG HISTORY OF SUPPORTING REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM, REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST OUR STATE AND AGAINST ANY KINDS OF FEDERAL ACTION.
WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT WE CAN AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO HELP THOSE WHO NEED ASSISTANCE AND HELP THEM SEEK ABORTION CARE.
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AS I LISTENED TO THE TESTIMONY THIS MORNING OF THE MANY FOLKS WHO CAME OUT TO TALK, UM, SEVERAL OF WHOM SHARED THEIR PERSONAL STORIES.I COULDN'T HELP, BUT THINK OF SARAH WEDDINGTON, WHO AS, AS YOU KNOW, ARGUED THE ROE V WADE DECISION WHEN SHE WAS NEWLY OUT OF LAW SCHOOL, SARAH WEDDINGTON PASSED AWAY SIX MONTHS BEFORE THAT FINAL DECISION.
SHE WAS NOT A PERSON WHO MINCED WORDS OR HELD BACK.
AND I BELIEVE THAT SHE WOULD TELL US WHERE SHE HERE TODAY, NOT TO GIVE UP.
I KNOW SHE BELIEVED IN AUSTIN IN THE POWER OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHERE IS SHE HERE? I BELIEVE SHE WOULD URGE US TO CONTINUE THIS WORK OF COMING TOGETHER, DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO PROTECT HEALTH AND BODILY AUTONOMY, AND TO DO, AS I KNOW WE WILL DO IN AUSTIN TO CONTINUE TO RAISE OUR VOICES FOR CHANGE AND FOR JUSTICE.
THANK YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY COLLEAGUE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THANKS COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO AND THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COLLEAGUES FOR ALL THE WORK ON THE BILLS WE PASSED TODAY, THE FOUR DIFFERENT RESOLUTIONS, THANKS FOR BRINGING THESE MEASURES AND FOR JUMPING ON THESE ISSUES SO QUICKLY.
AND THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ARE HERE TODAY OUT OF CONCERN FOR THE RADICAL ACTION.
THE US SUPREME COURT TOOK JUST WEEKS AGO.
SCOTUS IN EFFECT HAS ROBBED WOMEN OF AUTONOMY ROBBED WOMEN OF AUTONOMY AS EQUAL BEINGS IN THE EYES OF THE LAW.
IT'S NOT JUST UNPRECEDENTED, IT'S CONTEMPTIBLE, AND IT CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO STAND IN DOBBS V JACKSON, THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES MADE THE MOVE OF STRIKING DOWN A FUNDAMENTAL CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT, A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT THAT PROTECTS WOMEN AS EQUAL CITIZENS.
WITHOUT THAT PROTECTION, THERE IS NOTHING CONSTRAINING THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, WHICH HAS BECOME THE DICTATOR OF FORCED BIRTHS.
A FETUS IS A CLUSTER OF CELLS WITH A POTENTIAL OF LIFE.
THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE SAYS THAT POTENTIAL FOR LIFE IS SO IMPORTANT THAT IT MATTERS MORE THAN THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF AN ACTUAL LIVE PERSON, THE PERSON CARRYING THE FETUS.
BUT IF THAT IS TRUE, THEN WHY IS THERE SO MUCH NEGLECT BY THE STATE IN TERMS OF PROVIDING SUPPORT AND SERVICES DURING PREGNANCY AND IN PARTICULAR IN THE YEARS AFTER BIRTH, WHY IS THE STATE NOT SPENDING ITS TIME AND RESOURCES, FIGURING OUT HOW TO GIVE PARENTS AND CHILDREN, WHAT THEY NEED TO HAVE SAFE AND PRODUCTIVE LIVES.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN.
THAT'S WHY THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SO CLEAR THAT THIS REALLY IS ABOUT CONTROLLING WOMEN.
IT'S ABOUT CONTROLLING WOMEN AND OUR BODIES.
NO ONE IS FORCING ANYONE TO HAVE AN ABORTION, BUT THE STATE IS GOING TO FORCE WOMEN TO GIVE BIRTH IN TEXAS AS JUST HAPPENED IN OHIO, THE GOVERNMENT WILL FORCE AN 11 YEAR OLD CHILD WHO HAS BEEN RAPED TO CARRY A CHILD WHEN HER BODY IS REALLY NOT EVEN MATURE ENOUGH TO HANDLE A PREGNANCY.
LAST SEPTEMBER, GOVERNOR ABBOTT SAID THE SOLUTION TO ALL THIS WAS TO PUT A STOP TO RAPE.
HOW'S THAT GOING SO FAR? SO AUSTIN, HERE'S WHAT I WANT THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN TO KNOW.
WHILE THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE USES ITS TIME AND RESOURCES TO CREATE A REGIME OF FORCED BIRTH.
I AM SO PROUD AND GRATEFUL THAT IN AUSTIN, WE WILL NOT BE TERRORIZING DOCTORS OR SUBJUGATING WOMEN.
AND I STAND FOR SQUARE ON THAT PROPOSITION IN SUPPORT OF YOU AND YOUR RIGHT TO MAKE YOUR OWN HEALTHCARE REPRODUCTIVE CHOICES.
I THINK I'M HANDING TO THE MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
UM, MY NAME IS COUNCIL MEMBER ANN KITCHEN DISTRICT.
I JUST WANT TO ADD MY VOICE TO THE VOICE OF MY COLLEAGUES AND THANK MY COLLEAGUES AND COUNCIL MEMBER AVAILA FOR BRINGING THE GRACE ACT.
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A FUNDAMENTAL ACT AND I'M PROUD THAT WE ALL PASSED IT TODAY.THIS IS A MATTER OF HEALTHCARE, AND IT'S A MATTER OF EQUITY.
THE DECISION ABOUT WHETHER TO BEAR A CHILD OR TO ACCESS ABORTION IS A PERSONAL IT'S COMPLEX.
THE STATE HAS NO, RIGHT? THE STATE HAS NO RIGHT TO DICTATE TO WOMEN, TO THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, TO THEIR FAMILIES.
IT IS A COMPLEX, VERY PERSONAL SITUATION WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES INVOLVED.
AND SO FOR ME, I'VE SPENT MY LIFE WORKING WITH PLANNED PARENTHOOD, WORKING ON ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, WORKING ON ACCESS TO LARC AND OTHER CONTRACEPTIONS.
AND I AM PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS EFFORT.
IT IS THE LEAST WE CAN DO AT THE CITY IS TO STAND UP AND SAY NO, TO STAND UP AND SAY NO STATE.
YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO DICTATE TO WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, THIS VERY IMPORTANT, DIFFICULT, AND PERSONAL DECISION.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION IN THEIR STATE HAS GONE CRAZY.
I MEAN, THEY COME IN LIE AND LIE.
THEY CONTINUE LYING TO US ABOUT EVERYTHING AND COME OUT AND SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THESE CHILDREN.
WE KNOWING THAT THEY'RE LYING ABOUT THAT.
I'VE BEEN HERE, I'M 72 YEARS OLD.
AND I SEEN WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE IN THIS STATE OF TEXAS.
YOU KNOW, WE FOUGHT HARD JUST TO, TO INSECT SEGREGATION.
AND THEN WE HAD TO FIGHT EVEN HARDER TO JUST HAVE MIXED MARRIAGE.
I MEAN, IF I WAS MEXICAN, I COULD NOT MARRY A WHITE OR BLACK AND THAT THIS IS WHAT THIS STATE HAS BEEN ALL THIS TIME.
AND WHEN PEOPLE SAY, WE WANT TO GO BACK, I CAN TELL YOU WHAT GOING BACK TO AND THAT'S LIVING IN A SEGREGATED TOWN AND, UH, AND BEING POOR OR YOUR LIFE WITHOUT FLICKING LEVEL, SECOND GRADE TYPE LAWRENCE HAS TYPE EDUCATION.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS STATE HAS DONE TO US.
YOU KNOW, AND NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO DO TAKE AWAY THE RIGHTS OF FEMALES.
I MEAN, THIS IS JUST ONE BIG LIE THAT THEY KEEP TELLING US OVER AND OVER THAT WE'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU JUST LIKE THEY TOOK CARE OF ALL THESE MENTALLY ILL PERSON THAT ARE HOMELESS OUT IN THE STREET.
AND THAT'S HOW THEY TAKE CARE OF YOU.
THEY DON'T EVEN GIVE A DAMN ABOUT YOU.
SO I'M GOING TO CONTINUE FIGHTING THIS UNTIL I HAVE TO HAVE MY LAST BREATH FROM THIS WORLD, BECAUSE THIS IS JUST TOTALLY INTERESTING AS TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO US AS MINORITY LOW-INCOME PEOPLE AND FORCING US TO LIVE IN POVERTY FOR THE REST OF OUR LIFE.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UH, AS FAR AS THE COUNCIL GOES, MAYOR ADLER, I JUST WANT TO THANK HIM FOR HIS LEADERSHIP.
UH, I JUST HAVE DEVELOPED A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM OVER THE LAST, UH, SIX MONTHS.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE HIM PUTTING THE ITEM WITH REGARD TO VASECTOMIES ON THERE BECAUSE IT, IT IS AS A MAN.
BIRTH CONTROL IS OUR CONCERN ALSO, AND WE NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL, MAYOR AFTER NO, I'M INCREDIBLY PROUD TO BE STANDING UP HERE TODAY WITH, UH, MY COLLEAGUES ON THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, BUT THERE IS NEVER A MORE PROUD MOMENT WHEN THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL STANDS UP WITH OUR AUSTIN LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ALL STAND UP TOGETHER AS A GROUP, YOU KNOW, THAT IT IS AN IMPORTANT AND SPECIAL MOMENT.
IT'S ON DAYS WHEN WE ARE STANDING UP TOGETHER, WHEN AUSTIN IS TRULY BEING AUSTIN, WHEN OUR COMMUNITY IS STANDING UP TOGETHER TO DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO FIGHT FOR WHAT IS RIGHT AND, AND FOR WHAT IS JUST WHEN THERE ARE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES THAT ARE AT THE FOREFRONT, A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO BE ABLE TO CHOOSE IS A FUNDAMENTAL CONSTITUTIONAL, RIGHT? THE SUPREME COURT GOT THIS WRONG, AND WE HAVE TO CONTINUE AS A COMMUNITY TO STAND UP AND SAY THAT LOUDLY AND REPEATEDLY, BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, CITIES ACROSS TEXAS EXPECT OUR CITY,
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OUR AREA TO DO THAT.THERE ARE CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT EXPECT OUR CITY TO STAND UP AND SAY THAT LOUDLY, THE LANGUAGE IN THE, IN THE GRACE ACT RIGHT NOW IS BEING PASSED BY CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BEING USED AS MODEL LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE AND CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THE FACT THAT THE SUPREME COURT GOT IT WRONG ON REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM AND FREE, PRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND CHOICE IS BEYOND SCARY BECAUSE WHERE DOES THAT STOP? BASED ON THE REASONING OF THIS COURT, GAY MARRIAGE IS AT ISSUE AND AT STAKE, WHERE DOES THIS STOP? THE FUNDAMENTAL LIBERTIES AS GRANTED IN THE CONSTITUTION ARE AT RISK RIGHT NOW IN OUR COUNTRY AND GIVEN WHO IT IS THAT LEADS OUR STATE AT RISK IN OUR STATE AND OUR ROLE, OUR ROLE, OUR CITY'S ROLE, OUR REGION'S ROLE IS TO BE LOUD, TO BE CONSISTENT, TO FIGHT FOR JUSTICE AND FOR EQUITY AND FOR WHAT'S RIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT WHEN I LOOK AT THIS GROUP GATHERED UP HERE TODAY, I AM SO PROUD TO BE AT AUSTIN.
AND THEN LET MY STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND FRIEND CHERYL COLE, I STAND HERE FOR REPRESENTING HOUSE DISTRICT 46.
AND YES, I DO GO OVER TO THAT PAINT DOME AND ARGUE WITH THOSE PEOPLE DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
AND I DO THAT WITH MY PRECIOUS COLLEAGUES AND WITH THE STRONG SUPPORT OF AUSTIN'S MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF THIS DAY AND THE WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING TO CHALLENGE THE SUPREME COURT'S DECISION AND STAND FOND FOR AUSTINITE.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO OVER THERE? HOW ARE WE GOING TO PLAY DEFENSE? WELL, WE'LL TRY TO STOP BILLS IN CALENDARS AND COMMITTEES.
UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN STILL DO AND WORK LIKE HECK WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITIZENS THROUGHOUT THE COMMITTEE, THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND WITH OUR ALLIES AT PLANNED PARENTHOOD TO ORGANIZE TESTIMONY, TO FIGHT THESE BILLS.
AND WE'LL ALSO WORK ON THE HOUSE FLOOR WE'LL FILE AMENDMENTS WILL BRING UP POINTS OF ORDER.
WE'LL WE'LL JUST MOBILIZE AND MOBILIZE AND MOBILIZE TO.
WE HOPEFULLY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND THEN ON THE OFFENSIVE SIDE, WE WILL FILE BILLS THAT PROMOTE ABORTION RIGHTS, SUCH AS ROSIE'S VAL.
I PLAN ON DOING THAT AGAIN, THIS SESSION, AND WE WILL CHALLENGE THEM EVERY ROAD, EVERY TURN WE WON'T GIVE UP.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK AND GO CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN.
I'M STANDING HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE, NOT JUST THE TEXAS HOUSE, BUT IN PARTICULAR, THE MECHANISM BY WHICH WE ARE GOING TO FIGHT, AND THAT WILL BE THE WOMEN'S HEALTH CAUCUS.
UM, ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES IS MISSING HERE TODAY, THE CHAIR OF THE WOMEN'S HEALTH CAUCUS.
AND IF WE'VE LEARNED ANYTHING ABOUT OURSELVES IN THE LAST IT IS THAT WE ARE FIGHTERS, AND THIS IS A DARK TIME IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY, BUT AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TODAY IS PROVIDING US SOME LIGHT.
UH, I WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO, UH, MY FRIENDS, COUNCIL MEMBER, POOL AND KITCHEN, WHO I HAVE KNOWN SINCE THE NINETIES.
I KNOW THAT THEY SPEAK WITH, UH, WITH FIERCENESS, CAUSE I'VE SEEN IT FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, WE FOUGHT FOR YEARS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE THIS DAY, BUT THIS DAY IS UPON US NOW.
AND IT IS VERY EMOTIONAL TO SEE THE YOUNGER PEOPLE BEHIND ME, BECAUSE WE GOTTA BE IN THIS FIGHT TOGETHER.
AND I'M VERY SORRY ABOUT THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN, BUT WE ARE, WE ARE WITH YOU, UM, KNOWING THAT YOU HAVE A MAJORITY WOMAN COUNCIL AND THAT YOU HAVE, UM, MEN, UH, LIKE THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER, ANDREA AND COUNCIL MEMBER, ABELLA, IT IS, UH, IT IS WONDERFUL TO KNOW THAT THAT YOU HAVE OUR BACKS AND THAT YOU ARE WITH US AS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE.
I HAVE SEEN TEXAS POLITICIANS CHIP AWAY AT A PERSON'S RIGHT TO BODILY AUTONOMY.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PRIORITY AS OPPOSED TO ACCESS TO MATERNAL HEALTHCARE ACCESS TO CONTRACEPTION ACCESS, TO MEDICALLY ACCURATE SEX, SEX
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EDUCATION.AND IN THE CASE OF WHAT WE WILL BE LOOKING AT NEXT YEAR, PERHAPS HOW ABOUT SUPPORTING OUR FOSTER CARE SYSTEM AND THOSE WHO CARE FOR FOSTER CARE KIDS.
NOW, THE RECKLESS SUPREME COURT DECISION HAS NOT ONLY EMBOLDENED CERTAIN LAWMAKERS TO, BUT TO FEAR AND INTIMIDATE THE WOMEN'S HEALTH CAUCUS.
AND I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES HERE WILL BE HERE TO, TO FIGHT.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MY COLLEAGUES, UH, REPRESENTATIVE TALARICO REPRESENTATIVE, YOU KNOW, WHOLESALE, UH, REPRESENTATIVE REPRESENTATIVE COLE, OF COURSE.
AND UM, SOON TO BE REPRESENTATIVE, WE BELIEVE REPRESENTATIVE LUNA FLOTUS FROM SOUTH AUSTIN.
UM, I WILL NOT BE BACK, BUT I WANTED TO SPEAK UP ON BEHALF OF THE PROCESS.
AND THE PROCESS IS WE WILL, WE WILL FIGHT, BUT BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY.
AND THE WOMEN'S HEALTH CAUCUS WILL BE A PART OF THAT.
OUR CLAWS ARE OUT AND WE'RE READY TO FIGHT AS A COMMUNITY.
WE NEED TO BE A SOURCE OF SAFETY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING UNDER THIS CURRENT CLIMATE.
THAT IS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT CITY COUNCIL TAKE ACTION HERE TODAY.
POLITICIANS IN THE HOUSE RIGHT NOW ARE ALREADY PLANNING FRINGE POLICIES.
THESE WORDS RESTRICTING THE TRAVEL OF WOMEN WHO WANT TO GO TO ANOTHER STATE TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR HEALTH CARE NEEDS.
PUNISHING COMPANIES WHO ASSIST WOMEN WITH TRAVELING TO OTHER STATES TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR NEEDS.
THIS IS NOT CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES.
THEY ARE ALL UP IN MY BUSINESS AND AM SICK AND TIRED OF IT.
I UNEQUIVOCALLY SUPPORT GRACE.
WE'RE GRATEFUL TO BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU TODAY.
AUSTIN IS DOING WHAT IT CAN TO PROTECT REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM.
AND I WILL SAY LOCAL LEADERSHIP MATTERS NOW MORE THAN EVER.
I WOULD INVITE ANY OF THE OTHER, UH, IF Y'ALL WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS, REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO WAS INTERVIEWING ALYSSA.
YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME POLICE.
REPUBLICANS WANT YOU TO BELIEVE THAT YOUR VOTE DOESN'T MATTER.
WE'RE PREACHING TO THE CHOIR IN A LOT OF WAYS.
THOSE ARE HER MOST ENGAGED VOTE, BUT NOT ENOUGH OF US VOTE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE IN THIS SITUATION.
THE ONLY WAY THIS GETS BETTER IS IF YOU SCARE THE PEOPLE WHO DID THIS TO US TO TWO ELECTION CYCLES AGO, THE TEXAS HOUSE LIT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF CYA, ISRAEL, 12 HOUSE SEATS.
WE DIDN'T SEE TRASH, LIKE THE LEGISLATION THAT PASSED A LIMIT, A RIGHT, UH, THAT A WOMAN HAS HER BODY.
THIS, THIS LAST SESSION, WE DIDN'T SEE TRASH LIKE THAT.
AFTER WE SCARED THEM WITH OUR ELECTORAL POWER, WE SAW SCHOOL FINANCE REFORM BILLS.
WE SAW WORK THAT ACTUALLY PUT TEXANS FIRST AND MADE OUR LIVES BETTER.
SO THIS DOESN'T CHANGE UNLESS EVERYBODY VOTE.
EVERY LAST PERSON VOTES, THAT'S THE OWN LEEWAY.
WE GET OUR RIGHTS BACK, GET THIS STATE BACK AND GET THIS COUNTRY GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN EMERGENCY HALF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, HALF THE PEOPLE IN THIS CITY, HALF THE PEOPLE IN THIS STATE JUST BECAME SECOND CLASS CITIZENS.
OUR NEIGHBORS, EVERY ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS WITH A UTERUS JUST BECAME THE PROPERTY OF THE STATE.
AND SO EVERY LEADER AT EVERY LEVEL NEEDS TO USE EVERY TOOL IN THEIR TOOLBOX TO PROTECT OUR FREEDOM.
AND SO I AM SO THANKFUL THAT WE HAD FIGHTERS LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER, FLINT AS, AND COUNCIL MEMBER OF ELLA TO PROTECT OUR FREEDOMS. OUR STATE AND OUR COUNTRY ARE LUCKY TO HAVE LEADERS LIKE Y'ALL I JUST WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE TEXAS DELEGATION AND THE MEMBERS OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
I'M LILLY FLORES, AND I'M THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR DISTRICT 51.
AND I AM VERY EXCITED TO WORK AS HARD AS I CAN TO MAKE SURE I GET ELECTED IN NOVEMBER TO JOIN THIS WONDERFUL DELEGATION AND TO DO MY PART FOR OUR CITY AND OUR STATE YAB BASTA ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
I INTEND TO DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE OUT TO THE POLLS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE, OUR RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED.
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FOR 40 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD AS A PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S POLITICAL CAUCUS.NOW, MY EFFORTS ARE GOING TO GET EVEN STRONGER AND HARDER.
SO SISEP WHERE THERE LET'S GO DO IT.
IT'S JUST SO HEARTWARMING TO HAVE THE DELEGATION HERE WITH COUNCIL, WORKING TOGETHER, AS WE HAVE DONE MANY TIMES IN THE PAST, AND AS WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO IN THE FUTURE, AUSTIN REALLY IS COALESCING AROUND A STRONG VOICE, NOT EVEN JUST FOR LOCAL ISSUES, BUT MOVING THE STATEWIDE NARRATIVE AND THE NATIONAL NARRATIVE.
AND I'M JUST SO PROUD TO BE HERE.
I WANT TO ASK ROCKY GONSALVES IF SHE WANTS TO COME AND SAY A FEW WORDS FROM THE AUSTIN JUSTICE COALITION AND THE FRONT ELEPHANT.
I AM FOUNDER FROM TERRA FUND, WHICH IS AN ABORTION FUND THAT SERVES THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY.
I'M ALSO THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR AT AUSTIN JUSTICE COALITION.
I'M STANDING HERE TODAY WITH OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WHO HAS MORE IN OUR ORGANIZING DIRECTORS, ALL POLO, CONLEY.
UM, WE WANT TO THANK THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL FOR PASSING THIS IMPORTANT RESOLUTION.
UM, WE ARE IN SOLIDARITY WITH THIS WORK.
WE KNOW THAT THESE ARCHAIC LAWS HIGHLIGHT THE INTERSECTION OF CRIMINAL AND REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE.
NOT ONLY WILL ABORTION PROVIDERS, UM, BE CRIMINALIZED UNDER THESE ARCHAIC LAWS, BUT ANYONE WHO SUPPORTS ANYONE ELSE TO FIND AN ABORTION OR GET AN ABORTION, WHICH MEANS YOU HELP A FAMILY MEMBER, YOU COULD BE CRIMINALIZED AND CATEGORIZED AS AN ADR AND A BETTER FOR HELPING SOMEONE TO GET AN ABORTION.
ABORTION FUNDS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS HAVE BEEN FORCED TO CEASE OPERATIONS, WHERE WE HAVE SERVED AS A SAFETY NET, A HEALTHCARE SAFETY NET FOR TEXANS.
FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, WE HAVE NOW BEEN FORCED TO CEASE ALL OPERATIONS FOR FEAR OF LEGAL, PERSECUTION, AND PROSECUTION, UM, AS AIDERS AND, UH, BETTERS OF ABORTION.
WE CAN, UH, ASK FOLKS WHO ARE, UM, NEW TO THE MOVEMENT, UM, TO STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH US TO, UH, TAKE THE LEAD OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, UM, AND CONTINUE TO PASS THESE PROGRESSIVE AND IMPORTANT PROTECTIONS FOR TEXANS ACROSS THE STATE.
AND EVERYONE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED AND AGGRESSIVE ADVOCACY ADVOCACY TO, UH, REGAIN ABORTION ACCESS IN TEXAS TO EXPAND ABORTION ACCESS IN TEXAS BECAUSE ROWE WAS NEVER ENOUGH AND SHE'D DECRIMINALIZE ABORTION UNTIL ABORTION IS GOOD, FREE AND LEGAL AT ANY MOMENT IN TIME FOR ANY REASON.
UH, THE TEXAS FREEDOM NETWORK, PLEASE, UH, EMILY WITT FROM THE TEXAS FREEDOM NETWORK, UH, IS NEXT GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS EMILY WITT AND I'M THE COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGIST FOR TEXAS FREEDOM NETWORK, TEXAS RISING AND OUR PROGRAM FOR PROGRESSIVE PEOPLE OF FAITH ADVOCATING FOR LGBTQ PLUS EQUALITY AND REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM.
WE ARE PROUD THAT THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL HAS PASSED INITIATIVES TO ENSURE THAT CITY FUNDS WILL NOT BE USED TO HARASS AND PROSECUTE ABORTION SEEKERS OR THOSE WHO EXPERIENCED MISCARRIAGES AND THE PROVIDERS WHO CARE FOR THEM WHILE THE U S SUPREME COURT OVERTURNED ROE V.
WADE, OUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES HAVE SHOWN TODAY WHAT IT MEANS TO PUT YOUR COMMUNITY FIRST BY PASSING PROACTIVE INITIATIVES, TO ENSURE WE GET ACCESS TO THE CARE THAT WE NEED TODAY.
WE FIRMLY DECLARE THE ACCESS TO ABORTION IS A MORAL AND SOCIAL GOOD ABORTION IS HEALTHCARE AND ABORTION IS A BLESSING.
AND, UH, KRISTIN HERRING, PLEASE COME ON UP ANOTHER SPEAKER TO TELL GOOD EVENING.
AND WHEN I WAS PREGNANT AT 13 WEEKS IN 2017, I ENDED UP HAVING AN INCOMPLETE MISCARRIAGE.
MY DOCTORS LIED TO ME AND TRIED TO TELL ME THAT WE WERE HEALTHY, BUT THE TRUTH WAS MY DAUGHTER WAS DYING INSIDE OF ME AND IT WAS PUTTING MY LIFE AT RISK.
I HAD TO USE ABORTION CARE LATER IN PREGNANCY, BUT I WANT TO SHARE TODAY.
ONE OF MY AUNTS, WHO IN THE SEVENTIES LIVED IN TEXAS, ACTUALLY, NOT TOO FAR FROM HERE.
SHE GAVE BIRTH TO A BEAUTIFUL AND UNHEALTHY DAUGHTER WHO WAS IN SURGERY AFTER SURGERY.
SINCE THE DAY SHE WAS BORN AFTER MONTHS OF TRYING TO FIGHT TO STAY ALIVE.
MY AUNT AND UNCLE DECIDED IT WAS BEST TO GIVE THEIR DAUGHTER GRACE BY TAKING HER OFF LIFE SUPPORT ON TOP OF THE GRIEF OF LOSING THEIR ONLY DAUGHTER, A DISGRUNTLED COWBOY, HEARD OF THEIR STORY AND TOOK MY AUNT AND DOCTOR TO COURT, RETRAUMATIZING MY FAMILY MEMBERS ALL OVER AGAIN AND DRAGGING OTHER PEOPLE DOWN.
[00:35:01]
WHEN PEOPLE WHO ARE CAPABLE OF GETTING PREGNANT, CREATE LIFE.NO ONE KNOWS THAT MORE THAN THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ABLE TO MAKE LIFE, BECAUSE SOMETIMES OUR CHILDREN DIE BEFORE US.
AND SOMETIMES OUR BODIES BECOME COFFINS.
WE DON'T NEED LOCAL TERRORISTS COMING AFTER US OR THE GOVERNMENT BREATHING DOWN OUR NECKS AND INVESTIGATING OUR MISCARRIAGES.
WE DON'T NEED THE GOVERNMENT TO PREVENT US FROM OBTAINING MATERNAL HEALTHCARE EFFECTIVELY KILLING US WHILE THEY CLEAN TO THEIR GUNS AND SQUAWK PRO-LIFE.
GRACE IS DEFINED AS COURTEOUS GOODWILL.
LET'S SYNONYMS BEING THOUGHTFULNESS, DECENCY, AND RESPECT GARDEN.
THE RIGHT TO ABORTION CARE FOR EVERYONE, OR THE GRACE ACT WILL GIVE RESPECT DECENCY AND GRACE BACK TO AUSTIN RESIDENTS BY PROTECTING PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCED MISCARRIAGES AND THOSE WHO USE ABORTION CARE BY BANNING CITY FUNDS THAT INVESTIGATE REPORTS ON ABORTION CARE.
THE GRACE ACT ALSO PLACES THE ABORTION CARE ON LOW PRIORITY FOR OUR OVERSEERS.
SO THEY SHOULD BE LESS MOTIVATED TO TARGET US.
THE BAR IS ON THE FLOOR Y'ALL BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE AREN'T OUT HERE TRYING TO RAISE IT.
AND I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO JOIN US BY PASSING THIS RESOLUTION, WE ARE TAKING A STEP TOWARDS FORMING INTERSECTIONAL ALLY ALLYSHIPS THAT PROTECT ALL AUSTINITES AND WILL MAKE US STRONGER AS WE FIGHT TOGETHER AGAINST THE RISE OF FASCISM.
AND, UH, ANY THEATRICAL PLEASE? HOW DO Y'ALL AM ANTIHERO THE HOFF COORDINATOR OF SUNRISE MOVEMENT HERE IN AUSTIN? AND I'M PRETTY SURE.
YOU'RE PROBABLY WONDERING WHY IS A GREEN NEW DEAL T-SHIRT IN AN ABORTIONS HEARING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND, WELL, LET ME TELL YOU, UH, USUALLY IS IMMIGRANTS BLACK AND BROWN AND INDIGENOUS FOLKS WHO HAVE TO ENDURE NOT ONLY NOT HAVING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, BUT ALSO ARE THE FIRST ONES TO EXPERIENCE THE CLIMATE CRISIS.
UH, KRISTEN IS ONE OF HER MEMBERS AND IN OUR STATE, SHE WAS AN EYE HEALTHCARE.
AND ALSO I, HER COMMUNITY HAS BEEN MOSTLY IMPACTED BEFORE ANY OF US HERE.
AND I'M PRETTY SURE YOU ALL HAVE NOTICED THAT IT'S PRETTY HOT OUTSIDE.
UM, AND ALSO, UH, I WANT TO SAY BASED ON WHAT EVERYONE HAS SAID HERE, UH, PLEASE TURN OUT TO VOTE IN NOVEMBER.
UH, PRETTY MUCH, THIS IS OUR WAY OF SHOW EVERYONE, OUR STATE CAPITOL, THAT THIS IS WHAT TEXAS TRULY ONES.
WE HAD A SUPREME COURT BECAUSE THEY KNOW WE'RE COMING AND THEY KNOW WHAT WE TRULY STAND FOR.
AND 10 PEOPLE AT OUR STATE CAPITOL ARE NOT WHO WE ARE TODAY.
I'M REALLY WEAK HEAD COUNT HERE.
IT'S MORE THAN THOSE 10 PEOPLE.
SO JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU ALL.
WE ARE POWERFUL AND WE ARE WHAT TEXAS REALLY IS.
AND THEN FINALLY, A REPRESENTATIVE DOG HAD SENT COURTNEY FROM HIS OFFICE TO ALSO OFFER A FEW WORDS.
I AM HERE AS AN AUSTINITE AND A MOTHER WHO IS DRASTICALLY AFFECTED BY THE SUPREME COURT, OVERTURNING OVERTURNING ROE V.
WADE, AND I'M DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE FOR THE GRACE ACT.
I WORK WITH CONGRESSMAN LLOYD DOGGETT, WHO RECENTLY PARTICIPATED ON A PANEL WITH COUNCIL MEMBER FERNANDEZ ABOUT OUR WORK TOGETHER TO PROTECT REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM.
HERE ARE THE CONGRESSMEN'S WORDS WITH THE SUPREME COURT'S DANGEROUS DECISION.
WE MUST WORK TOGETHER IN TAKING EVERY REASONABLE STEP TO PROTECT REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM.
I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE GRACE ACT AND RELATED EFFORTS OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PROVIDE AUSTIN WOMEN.
I LED OVER 80 HOUSE COLLEAGUES IN URGING THE ADMINISTRATION TO ISSUE A PUBLIC HEALTH AND NATIONAL EMERGENCY DECLARATION ON ABORTION.
SUCH ACTION WILL UNLOCK POWERFUL AUTHORITIES TO PROTECT AND EXPAND ACCESS TO MEDICATION, ABORTION, IMPROVED SEARCH CAPACITY AND SAFE HAVEN STATES.
AND MORE LAST WEEK, THE HOUSE APPROVED THE ENSURING ACCESS TO ABORTION ACT.
AND REAPPROVE THE WOMEN'S HEALTH PROTECTION ACT.
THESE BILLS HAVE, WHICH I AM AN ORIGINAL SPONSOR PASSED ON YOUR PARTY LINE VOTES TO WRITE INTO LAW THE PRIOR GUARANTEES OF ROW AND PREVENT INTERFERENCE WITH THOSE WHO TRAVELED TO ACCESS ABORTION.
HEALTHCARE SINCE TEXAS REPUBLICAN EXTREMISTS ARE ALREADY SEEKING TO LIMIT VARIOUS FORMS OF CONTRACEPTION TODAY, THE HOUSE IS APPROVING THE RIGHT TO CONTRACEPTION ACT OF WHICH I AM AN ORIGINAL SPONSOR TO CREATE A STATUTORY RIGHT TO CONTRACEPTION.
UNFORTUNATELY, UNLESS TWO SENATORS WHO PROFESS TO BE PRO-CHOICE KRISTIN CINEMA AND SUSAN COLLINS SUPPORT A NARROW CARVE-OUT TO THE FILIBUSTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM.
REPUBLICAN OBSTRUCTION WILL PREVENT THESE IMPORTANT
[00:40:01]
BILLS FROM BECOMING LAW HERE IN AUSTIN.I'M CONTINUOUSLY IMPRESSED WITH THE CREATIVE LEADERSHIP FROM OUR CITY COUNCIL TO PROTECT AUSTINITES FROM THE MANY BAD POLICIES OF ABBOTT AND PATRICK WHO AREN'T PRO-LIFE, BUT JUST PRO MANDATORY MOTHERHOOD.
THEY LEARNED FENCES FOR INTRODUCING THE GRACE ACT AND ALL OF YOU WHO ARE HERE SUPPORTING THIS IMPORTANT INITIATIVE.
SO MUCH TO ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS, TO ALL OF OUR SUPPORTERS, TO EVERYONE THAT IS HERE AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS.
UH, I W I LOOK FORWARD TO THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE TAKING UP IN A PASSING THOSE BILLS IN, UH, IN THE NEXT SESSION.
UH, I IT'S, IT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.
IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO, UH, AND WE'RE ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE FINAL OUTCOMES.
WE CANNOT PUT ALL OF THE LEGAL, YOU KNOW, FINANCIAL BURDENS, MEDICAL BURDENS ON WOMEN.
WE, AS MEN, AS FATHERS NEED TO STAND UP AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT.
UH, FOLKS ARE OF COURSE, AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS, UH, AFTERWARD.
UH, ALTHOUGH WE'RE GOING TO BE RETURNING TO COUNSEL HERE PRETTY QUICK FOR OUR LAST ITEM, BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE FROM THE PRESS FOR COMING AND TO ALL OF THE SPEAKERS.