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Yesterday, Tony Gonzales staked out one of the most radical positions on reproductive rights possible when he backed the most extreme abortion ban in the country: S.B. 8, a Texas bill that makes abortion illegal after six weeks of pregnancy, before many people even know they’re pregnant, and puts a bounty on anyone who tries to help, like doctors and family members.
It’s no surprise Tony Gonzales is celebrating a vigilante bounty system to punish women and their doctors — the end of safe, legal abortion in America is the future House Republicans want. Despite the fact that 77% of Americans support Roe v. Wade and its protections, 184 House Republicans signed an amicus brief last month to urge the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade when it considers a restrictive 15-week ban out of Mississippi next term. Now, the end of Roe v. Wade is effectively here for women in Texas — and Tony Gonzales has voiced his support.
“Tony Gonzales is so far out of touch with women in Texas that he supports a near-total abortion ban that puts a bounty on their doctors and even family members who try to help,” said DCCC spokesperson Monica Robinson. “Americans support the right to make personal health care decisions, free from interference from politicians. But Tony has backed a future where reproductive health care is criminalized and random vigilantes can enforce it. Women won’t forget, and Tony Gonzales’s support for the cruel abortion ban in Texas will cost him at the ballot box in 2022.”
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Yesterday, the Supreme Court of the United States refused to intervene as the draconian Republican abortion ban in Texas (S.B. 8) went into effect, all but eliminating access to safe, legal abortion for patients across the state.
The Texas bill is one of the most radical, restrictive abortion bans in the country: It makes abortion illegal after six weeks of pregnancy, long before many women even know they’re pregnant. The legislation also encourages wanna-be vigilantes to target health care providers across the state by allowing virtually anyone — from abusive partners to neighbors to complete strangers — the right to sue any person they believe provided or assisted a patient with accessing an abortion. They can even collect $10,000 for each successful claim.
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