WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel and other local leaders spoke Monday about actions to protect access to abortion and the impact of Florida's recently enacted 15-week abortion ban.
This comes after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last month, paving the way for states to outlaw abortions.
Frankel was joined by State Sen. Lori Berman and other local advocates for a news conference outside the federal courthouse in downtown West Palm Beach.
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Frankel has continued to advocate for access to abortion care following the historic Supreme Court ruling on June 24.
"These personal decisions on people's health, their future, their reproductive care is being left up to state politicians," Frankel said Monday.
President Joe Biden signed an executive order Friday coordinating the implementation of federal efforts to protect reproductive freedom and access to health care.
Frankel said the executive order will protect women who want to cross state signs to access abortions and guarantee legal access to an abortion pill up to 10 weeks of pregnancy.
"A 14-year-old girl who is raped by her father and does not find out until she's in week 16, it would be illegal for her to get an abortion in this state," Frankel said.
The U.S. House will take up and vote next week on the Women's Health Protection Act for a second time this Congress as Democrats continue to stress the importance of protecting access to abortion care. The bill prohibits governmental restrictions on access to abortion services.
Frankel was confident the bill would pass the House but will not likely pass the Senate.
Berman echoed many of the same comments, saying she was worried that the GOP-led state Legislature will try to further limit abortions in Florida next year.
"The governor has been very quiet about the abortion issue because I believe he understands that most women in this state believe that they should have access to reproductive health care, that it is medical care, and that they should be able to have abortions," Berman said.