The D.C. City Council just proposed a bill that would effectively eliminate healthcare regulations – including sanitary condition requirements designed to prevent the spread of disease and infection – for abortion facilities in the District of Columbia region. In defense of the women and pre-born babies in the District of Columbia, Students for Life of America will be testifying, protesting, and raising a voice for those who will be harmed by a plan to reduce medical standards impacting women.
The bill titled the “Strengthening Reproductive Health Protections Amendment Act of 2019” would actually do the exact opposite of what the bill’s title insinuates. It would deregulate abortion in the District, and in turn, make it less safe. Ironically, this drastic act would amend the Human Rights Act of 1977, ignoring the human rights of unique and living people also living in the District, the preborn who would be denied their right to live. Also at risk will be women exposed to whatever an abortionist wants to sell.
Municipal regulations such as sanitary condition requirements, reporting victims of abuse, functioning sewage systems, administration of medication, and medical staffing would no longer stand if the “Strengthening Reproductive Health Protections Amendment Act of 2019” were to pass. These are common sense regulations that protect the health of women and their families. D.C. is already one of the least regulated cities in America when it comes to abortion. The changes in this bill would strip away sensible protections that aim to improve women’s healthcare, allowing them to survive an abortion.
Deregulating abortion is a bad idea that could endanger the lives of D.C.’s women, children, and families. People overwhelmingly agree that any medical facility should be held to certain standards in order to keep patients safe, and yet, when it comes to abortionists and abortion facilities, they seem to get a free pass. Anything goes in the abortion industry, and this isn’t good for anyone (especially women).
That’s why Students for Life of America is joining the Archdiocese of Washington and a number of other pro-life organizations to stand against this dangerous bill.
SFLA groups jumped right into action on learning of this reckless proposal! With only a few days’ notice, students from around the Capital Area have been hosting post card drives to show their opposition for the bill. The picture below shows one of these groups, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School’s Visi 4 Life, having a post card signing day to let their legislators know that they stand against this bill.
Anna Stephens, a student at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC explains her concern with the bill:
“As a young woman voter, I oppose this bill which endangers the health of women by deregulating abortion in D.C. As the president of a university pro-life organization which is growing in membership and participation each day, I also speak with confidence in saying that I am not alone in opposing this bill, which aims to permit the taking of innocent human lives through abortion without restriction and without any true concern for the reproductive health of women. The safety of women and of the most vulnerable unborn who cannot speak for themselves is at stake with this dangerous legislation and because of this, it is imperative that students, young people, and all voters speak out in defense of women and their unborn children by openly opposing this bill which endangers them.”
Further, the bill will be heard on December 19th , and Students for Life groups from all around the Capital Area are banding together to have a presence at the hearing to make sure our opposition is heard.
We will be there on the 19th testifying against the bill, and we will be joined by students from across the Capital Area to express our concern with the bill and the safety of D.C. residents should it move forward. To join our efforts in D.C., please reach out to Stephanie Stone at sstone@studentsforlife.org .
