New White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has blasted a new law passed by Oklahoma’s GOP, which, if it is signed into law, will be the country’s strictest abortion law.
“Today’s action by the Oklahoma legislature is the most extreme effort to undo these fundamental rights we have seen to date. In addition, it adopts Texas’ absurd plan to allow private citizens to sue their neighbors for providing reproductive health care and helping women to exercise their constitutional rights,” Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
The restrictive bill would ban abortion from the stage of “fertilization.” It would allow private citizens to sue abortion providers who “knowingly” perform or induce an abortion “on a pregnant woman.”
“This is part of a growing effort by ultra MAGA officials across the country to roll back the freedoms we should not take for granted in this country. They are starting with reproductive rights, but the American people need to know that other fundamental rights, including the right to contraception and marriage equality, are at risk,” Jean-Pierre’s statement continued. “The President is committed to standing up for these constitutional rights, and for protecting Americans’ fundamental freedoms.”
The bills are part of a bold push in GOP-led states to scale back abortion rights.
The bill, titled HB 4327, defines “fertilization” as “the fusion of a human spermatozoon with a human ovum.” The bill does not define abortion as being “does not include the use, prescription, administration, procuring, or selling of Plan B, morning-after pills, or any other type of contraception or emergency contraception.”
According to NBC News, there are exceptions to save the life of a pregnant woman or to allow abortions if a pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. However, any rape must be reported to law enforcement.
Planned Parenthood plans to challenge the new law in court once Gov. Kevin Stitt signs it.
“Today, Oklahoma passed a law effectively banning abortion from the moment of fertilization—the latest in a series of blatant attacks on women by extremist legislators,” Vice President Kamala Harris tweeted in response to the bill’s passage. “It has never been more urgent that we elect pro-choice leaders at the local, state, and federal level.”
