STATEMENTS FROM URGE ON THE REINTRODUCTION OF THE WOMEN’S HEALTH PROTECTION ACT IN THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Today, the U.S. House of Representatives reintroduced the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), a bill that would create a statutory right for abortion care across the country. The House previously passed WHPA in 2021 and 2022, but it failed to reach the necessary 60 votes in the Senate each time. In response to this news, Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director of URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, said: “We applaud the abortion-positive leaders in the House for their continued support and commitment to defending and restoring abortion access. The Women’s Health Protection Act, along with the EACH Act, is a critical element in our broader fight to end abortion bans and attain the access we deserve. Today, we are one step closer to realizing our full vision for reproductive… Read more »
Advocates Take to the [Kansas] Capitol to Oppose Anti-Reproductive and Anti-Transgender Rights Bills
Topeka, Kan. – Today, as lawmakers considered two anti-trans bills – SB 180 and SB 2238 – advocates for reproductive freedom and LGBTQ+ rights brought the fight for Kansans’ futures to the state capitol. Dozens of people from across the state participated in Kansans for Bodily Autonomy Advocacy Day, raising the alarm on these renewed attacks on abortion, gender-affirming care, and gender equity. The event was organized by ACLU of Kansas, Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes, Trust Women, URGE Kansas, and Vote Neigh. Advocates urged lawmakers to vote against a number of anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ bills being considered this session, including bans on gender-affirming care and telemedicine abortion. They also pressed lawmakers to support policy changes that address the steep tax on necessary goods including menstrual products and diapers. Instead… Read more »
STATEMENT FROM URGE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ON 2023 STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
(WASHINGTON, DC) – Following the 2023 State of the Union Address by President Joe Biden, URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, Executive Director Kimberly Inez McGuire (she/her/ella) released the following statement: “As President Biden reminded us, anti-abortion extremists won’t stop until they’ve made abortion a crime in every state. We applaud President Biden for speaking in solidarity with people who need abortions, and committing to veto any abortion ban that crosses his desk. But we have much more work to do. Roe was never enough, and abortion bans that have been pushed through in states across the South and Midwest have caused chaos and immense harm to people nationwide. We are in a fight for our lives, our democracy, and our future, and this moment calls for moral clarity… Read more »
STATEMENT FROM URGE ON THE ATTEMPT TO TAKE ABORTION PILLS OFF THE MARKET
As early as Feb. 10, a federal judge in Texas will rule on the decision to remove FDA approval of Mifepristone, a safe and effective pill used in clinician-guided and self-managed abortion care. Anti-abortion groups initiated this lawsuit weeks after the FDA expanded access to abortion pills by allowing them to be offered at retail pharmacies and removing the in-person requirement. This case is the latest attempt by extremists to control people’s bodies and further restrict healthcare options, especially as abortion pills now account for more than half of all abortions in the US. Ahead of the decision, Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director of URGE, said: “Let’s be clear: Abortion pills are a safe and effective option for managing abortions on our own terms, and they should be accessible for… Read more »
URGE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR KIMBERLY INEZ MCGUIRE SPEAKS AT EACH ACT PRESS CONFERENCE
(WASHINGTON, DC) – On Thursday, January 26, 2023, URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity Executive Director Kimberly Inez McGuire (she/her/ella) joined All* Above All and several Members of Congress at a press conference announcing the re-introduction of the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH) Act in the 118th Congress. These were her remarks: “Good morning, “Let me start by thanking my friends and colleagues at All* Above All as well as our bold legislative champions in the people’s House – Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Congresswoman Diana DeGette, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, and each of their staffs. I am proud today to be here with each of you to applaud the re-introduction of the EACH Act, which works to ensure that all of us – regardless… Read more »
URGE JOINS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE LEADERS IN SIGNING “VISIONING NEW FUTURES FOR REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE DECLARATION 2023”
This weekend, in collaboration with SisterSong, Collective Power for Reproductive Justice, and Forward Together, URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, anchored the convening of more than 75 reproductive justice leaders for the SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective. While we mourned the loss of federal protections for abortion and Roe v. Wade – on what would have been its 50th anniversary, this weekend we celebrated our collective power, unyielding resilience and fight of the reproductive justice movement to forge a new path – one where all the tenets of reproductive justice are centered. Hope Jackson, Esq. (she/her/hers), Deputy Director of Programs & Policy for URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity “Grappling with the loss of Roe and the understanding that it was never enough, this weekend was… Read more »
URGE Launches Multimedia “Abortion Bans are Racist” Campaign on MLK Day
(Atlanta, GA) – Today, a day when we reflect on the dangerous legacy of white supremacy in the United States, URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity is launching a multi-faceted media campaign to educate Georgians about the inherent racism at the foundation of abortion bans. This campaign will run throughout January and include social posts, pandora ads, street decals, posters, and two billboards in the Atlanta area that state: Abortion Bans are Racist. “In Georgia, we know all too well how harmful abortion bans are to our Black and brown communities, pushing essential health care out of reach. It was this way before last year’s Supreme Court decision, and now the situation is even more dire,” said Toni Watkins (she/her), Georgia resident and Voter Engagement Director at URGE. “Last November and… Read more »
STATEMENT FROM URGE ON THE F.D.A. EXPANDING ACCESS TO ABORTION PILLS TO BE OFFERED AT RETAIL PHARMACIES
Yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration announced that retail pharmacies can offer abortion pills with a prescription from a certified healthcare provider, and the Justice Department cleared the Postal Service to carry abortion pills into states with bans. These decisions will expand reproductive care options for some individuals across the country. However, abortion bans take precedence, and fears of criminalization regarding mailing the medication cannot be overlooked. In response, URGE: Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity released the following statement. Kimberly Inez McGuire (she/her/ella), Executive Director of URGE, said: “The F.D.A.’s decision to lift some of the restrictions on abortion pills is a step in the right direction. Mifepristone is a safe and effective medication and many people’s first choice for abortion care. Allowing people to receive mifepristone at retail… Read more »
Introducing Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom, a Cohort to Secure Explicit Abortion Access in the State Constitution
OHIO – Today the coalition, Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom, issued a press statement to introduce a ballot exploration committee, formed by the ACLU of Ohio, Abortion Fund Ohio, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, Ohio Women’s Alliance, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, Preterm-Cleveland, Pro-Choice Ohio, and URGE, to make abortion access explicit in the State Constitution. Collectively, these organizations represent Ohioans from across the state and key constituencies, including frontline providers, abortion funds, young people, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, and decades of deep investment in Ohio community, care, and power. The reproductive rights, health, and justice organizations are trusted institutions that have been working in partnership for decades to protect and expand abortion access and have formed an official partnership to get a measure on the… Read more »
STATEMENT FROM URGE ON THE PASSING OF THE RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT
Tonight, Congress has passed the Respect for Marriage Act, protecting same-sex and interracial marriages. This historic bill will federally require the government to recognize and protect these types of marriages in the United States, repealing the Defense of Marriage Act. It is now headed to President Biden’s desk. In response, leaders from URGE: Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity, released the following statements. Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director of URGE, said: “We are thrilled that Congress has taken the necessary steps to recognize same-sex and interracial marriages, and the Respect for Marriage Act will head to President Biden’s desk. Today, we celebrate that even more people across the country will be able to marry who they love and feel protected in doing so. “However, we recognize that this is both… Read more »
