Congresswoman Emilia Sykes (OH-13) alongside Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) has introduced a groundbreaking resolution to ensure all Americans have access to emergency abortion care. The resolution reinforces that the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) guarantees this right in every state, making it clear: no woman, no matter where she lives, should be denied the critical emergency care she needs, including abortion.
In a statement, Rep. Sykes said: “Since the overturn of Roe, we’ve heard too many horror stories of pregnant women being turned away from emergency rooms due to confusing anti-abortion laws. The Supreme Court’s ruling in Moyle v. United States only increased this chaos and uncertainty, leaving more women in danger. This is completely unacceptable. Women should be able to access the reproductive healthcare they need, whenever they need it. I’m proud to co-lead this resolution with Rep. Sherrill to reaffirm that EMTALA guarantees emergency medical care, including abortion, for all Americans, no matter where they live.”
Women shouldn’t have to be on the brink of death to access an abortion. This June, Donald Trump’s hand-picked Supreme Court once again failed to safeguard women’s healthcare, Rep. Sherrill added. “Pregnant women across the country are being turned away from emergency rooms and doctors are facing criminal penalties for simply saving a woman’s life. There is an urgent need to protect life-saving abortion care and that’s why I’m proud to lead this crucial effort along with Rep. Sykes. Let’s be clear: Federal law guarantees a woman’s right to emergency care – including abortion – and Democrats will not rest until we fully restore abortion rights for women across the country.”
Co-chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus, Congresswoman Barbara Lee chimed in to state that she is honored to fight for the freedom to make your own medical decisions—especially when it’s a matter of life or death. As extremist Republicans in Congress and across the nation push their dangerous agenda to control women’s bodies, House Democrats are here to send a clear message: your medical decisions are yours alone. We stand firm in defending the right of every person, in every state, to access emergency care—including abortion.
One hundred and fourteen organizations have co-sponsored the bill including: American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Guttmacher Institute, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, National Council of Jewish Women, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA), National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Power to Decide, Reproductive Freedom for All, Physicians for Reproductive Health, and the Pro-Choice Caucus.
