EMILY’s List President Statement on A Law Restricting the Rights of Washington D.C. Women

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, released the following statement on the most recent anti-choice law being discussed in the U.S. House of Representatives:

“Republicans have once again prioritized waging a war on women instead of focusing on jobs and the economy,” said Stephanie Schriock, President of EMILY’s List. “Today an all-male group of Congressmen debated a bill banning abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy in the District of Columbia with no exceptions for rape, incest, or fetal anomaly. Even more frustrating is that Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, who represents D.C. was barred from testifying on behalf of the constituents she was elected to represent. It’s a shocking effort to endanger women’s health, not just by rolling back the clock on reproductive rights, but by trying to silence those who voice opposition. This is just another reason why we need to bring more lawmakers to Washington who will speak for the needs of women and families.”

In the 2009-2010 cycle, EMILY’s List raised more than $38.5 million to support its mission of recruiting and supporting women candidates, helping them build strong campaigns, and mobilizing women voters to turn out and vote. With a community of more than 1,000,000 members across the country, EMILY’s List is one of the largest political action committees in the nation. Since its founding in 1985, EMILY’s List has worked to elect 87 pro-choice Democratic women to the U.S. House, 16 to the U.S. Senate, nine governors, and hundreds of women to the state legislatures, state constitutional offices, and other key local offices. In the 2009-2010 cycle, EMILY’s List had the largest number of members and donors in our 27 year history.