“Our freedoms are not negotiable” – Sen. Larson statement on introduction of the Abortion Rights Restoration Act

MILWAUKEE, WI – Freedom. It is our nation’s founding principle. Sadly, the freedoms of far too many Americans have been shamefully limited throughout our 249-year history. From the institution of slavery to the treatment of indigenous nations and immigrants to the persistent patriarchy in our society, we have had to struggle long and hard to more closely approximate the ideals of freedom that we hold so dear.

Perhaps no issue better exemplifies the second-class treatment of women in the United States than our laws governing abortion and reproductive healthcare. I am proud to join with my Democratic colleagues in the Assembly and Senate in introducing the Abortion Rights Restoration Act.

Abortion is healthcare. As such, it is our duty as elected officials to ensure that those who seek an abortion are able to do so safely, affordably, and legally. For nearly 50 years, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed, and established the right to an abortion before fetal viability as endemic to our Constitution.

Sadly, after a decades-long campaign by anti-choice actors, the United States Supreme Court struck down Constitutional protections for abortion care, and the far-right United States Congress is more likely than ever before to pursue a nationwide total abortion ban.

Wisconsin must do all it can to prevent that from happening. That starts with repealing our state’s draconian, discriminatory, and harmful restrictions on abortion – starting with the 1849 criminal ban. It also means repealing laws that require medically unnecessary ultrasounds, and make abortion more expensive and difficult to obtain for women who need them.

The Abortion Rights Restoration Act does all of these things.

A lot has changed since 1849. We fought a war to end slavery, women earned the right to vote, and to this day we continue to strive toward equal rights for people of all ages, races, creeds, genders, nationalities, and sexualities. We cannot allow ourselves to move backwards based on the whims of an extremist Congress or politicians in robes.

Our state legislature can and should take action immediately. The Republican majority has a tremendous opportunity to finally pass legislation that a strong majority of their constituents support. Every recent poll of Wisconsin voters has shown 60% and higher support for safe, legal abortion.

Whatever their public positions or personal religious beliefs may be, they should ensure that Wisconsin does not become a state that criminalizes essential healthcare ever again.

Our freedoms are not negotiable. It’s time Wisconsin’s laws reflected that. I want to thank Senator Kelda Roys and Representative Lisa Subeck for their steadfast leadership on this critical issue.͏͏͏͏͏͏͏͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.