Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) & Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26) Join Free & Just Patients To Call Out Impact of Trump's Move to Ban Abortion Access for Veterans Nationwide

WATCH: In Senate testimony, RFK confirms plans to weaponize federal agencies against reproductive freedom.

WASHINGTON, DC –– Today, Democratic Women’s Caucus Member Julia Brownley (CA-26) and Servicewomen, Women Veterans, and Military Families Task Force Co-Chair Congresswomen Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) joined veterans at a virtual press event to respond to the Trump administration’s plan to ban abortion care and counseling across the VA system. On August 1, the Trump Administration announced its plan to prevent veterans from accessing abortion care or counseling through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health system. 

The Trump administration’s proposed ban would bar veterans from getting abortion care or information through the VA—even in cases of rape, incest, or health emergencies.

“There seems to be no end to the harm this administration intends to do to the people who currently serve in uniform and to those who came before them,” said Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), a former U.S. Air Force officer who spearheads the Democratic Women’s Caucus’s work for servicewomen, veterans, and their families. “The Trump administration is politicizing medical decisions that should be strictly personal and between a woman and her doctor just to score cheap political points and hurt the health of women.” 

“Make no mistake – Donald Trump and his extremist allies are using women veterans to advance an anti-choice anti-woman agenda, and inch us closer to a national abortion ban,” said Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26), who chairs the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health. “The irony is incredibly infuriating. They claim issues of reproductive health should be ‘left to the states,’ yet they’re abusing their federal power to impose their beliefs on veterans nationwide – even in states where abortion is legal.”

“For veterans, the VA is our only health care lifeline, and to take away access to abortion care is to strip away our right to decide what happens with our own bodies,” said Joanna Sweatt, an Arizona-based Marine Corps veteran who credits access to abortion care with allowing her to continue serving her country. “The fear is real. The anger is real, and the betrayal is real. We are people who raised our right hands and swore an oath to defend this country, and now we don’t have access to health care. Our dignity is on the chopping block. This is so much bigger than politics – it’s about keeping our promise to those who serve,” Sweatt, who serves as the National Organizing Director for Common Defense, added.

 “Military service was an escape for me, and for so many men and women in this country, it’s an opportunity to better yourself,” said Sylvia Andersh, an Air Force veteran and first-generation Mexican immigrant who had an abortion in 1978 while on active duty. “Women veterans are facing serious attacks from this administration, and as a military spouse and a former active duty servicemember, I am devastated. We are living in fear and it’s overwhelming at times.”

You can watch the event here. If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants in the press event, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us.

Free & Just is committed to fighting for reproductive freedom. Join us in sharing stories, raising voices, and securing our future. 

RFK Jr. Pushes FDA to Ban Abortion Pills, Threatening Millions of Patients

WATCH: In Senate testimony, RFK confirms plans to weaponize federal agencies against reproductive freedom.

WASHINGTON, DC –– At a Senate Finance Committee hearing today, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confirmed that he is working with FDA Commissioner Marty Makary to roll back access to the abortion medication mifepristone. 

In June, under pressure from extremist lawmakers like Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), Commissioner Makary pledged to conduct an “investigation” into mifepristone, drawing on dangerous disinformation – not science. During today’s hearing, Secretary Kennedy shared that investigations into medication abortion are underway, demonstrating this administration's continued commitment to banning abortion and restricting reproductive freedom across the country. 

The reality is that medication abortion is safe, effective, and was relied on in nearly two-thirds of all  U.S. abortions in 2023. More than six-in-ten Americans favor keeping the medication available as a prescription drug. According to data from Navigator Research, most voters in the 2024 election – including many who supported President-elect Trump – oppose laws to further restrict abortion and would view a politician who votes for these laws negatively. Still, Republican lawmakers plan to intervene in the personal, private medical decisions of women and families.

Republican lawmakers remain committed to banning abortion nationwide, and they will use any tool at their disposal to do it, including weaponizing federal agencies to ban access to safe and effective medications. 

If you are interested in speaking to health care providers who regularly prescribe mifepristone, or patients who have used the medication, including the folks below, please contact Kelly Rimar kelly@freeandjust.us. 

AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT 

Emma Burns, Flagstaff, AZ: Emma Burns found out she was pregnant with twins while a college student. She made the decision to have an abortion after calling a hotline and was referred to the only clinic with appointments in the entire state. After her first appointment, where she was required by Arizona state law to view the ultrasound and listen to the cardiac activity, Emma had to wait a week and a half to see the physician again, which meant receiving her medication abortion on the exact last possible day she was legally able. 

Dr. Austin Dennard, Dallas, TX: Dr. Austin Dennard is a  board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist who was pregnant during the summer of 2022, but at 11 weeks learned she was carrying a fetus with anencephaly, a fatal condition affecting the development of the brain and skull. She and her husband had experienced something similar with a previous pregnancy and had made the decision to end the pregnancy . While she was previously able to receive the care she needed in Texas including mifepristone for her D&E, that was not the case for her 2022 pregnancy, and she was forced to travel to the east coast for care.

Dr. Kristin Lyerly, De Pere, WI: Dr. Kristin Lyerly is an OB/Gyn who specializes in care for rural and underserved communities. Dr. Lyerly treats patients who have traveled from out of state for abortion care, including providing abortion medication, and was one of several physicians involved in litigation against the state of Wisconsin over efforts to revive the state’s 1849 abortion ban. 

Elise Warren, Portland, OR: Elise Warren speaks openly about her experience taking abortion medication on social media and is known online as a safe, confidential resource for her younger peers. Elise says her abortions changed her life for the better, and she continues to learn everything she can about abortion access, spread trustworthy resources and information, and amplify the stories of those who wish to tell them.

130+ Advocates from 35 States Urge Congress to Defend Reproductive Freedom

Free & Just leads letter marking Congress returning from August Recess.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, more than 130 storytellers from 35 states across the country signed a letter urging Congress to consider the lived experiences of women, patients, and physicians as lawmakers return from August recess. The letter, organized by Free & Just, features notable signees including Amanda Zurawski, Shanette Williams, Dr. Caitlin Gustafson, and advocates such as Patricia McFarland, who had an abortion in 1970 before Roe v. Wade was the law of the land, and has watched the rights of women and patients nationwide erode due to anti-abortion extremism. 

Free & Just sent the letter after a month of local organizing and storytelling while elected officials returned to their home districts and their constituents during the month of August. The letter builds on Free & Just’s “Summer Storytelling Series” in Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin — where patients and partners engaged lawmakers directly about the real impacts of abortion bans.

The letter spotlights the consequences of the deadly Dobbs decision and details how abortion bans are killing women and patients nationwide. In the letter, storytellers write: 

“The impacts of abortion bans can be felt throughout our communities by friends, loved ones, and providers who navigate the challenging landscape left in the wake of the Dobbs decision and the impacts of the spending package recently signed into law. Providers in states that ban or restrict abortion are forced to constantly weigh the risks of providing essential care to a patient or being fined or imprisoned for administering that care. Husbands watch their wives’ and kids watch their mothers’ health decline to the brink of death before they can receive necessary and often lifesaving healthcare. Friends and families are forced to witness their loved ones suffer through impossible circumstances because laws in their state deprive them of the right to make decisions about what happens to their own bodies and lives. These abortion bans are being pushed by extreme politicians who have worked diligently to implement elements of their anti-abortion playbook and played the long game toward chipping away at our rights and freedoms.” 

Read the full letter here. 

“In this letter, storytellers demonstrate tremendous courage by sharing their experiences of needing or providing abortion care, despite the many obstacles they have faced when trying to make the best medical decisions for themselves and their families. And yet, extremist Republican officials continue to weaponize the power of the federal government to strip reproductive freedom at the expense of lives,”said Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just. “Abortion bans are already killing women across the country. Republican lawmakers — at the Trump administration’s direction — are pushing an extremist agenda that leaves patients in crisis without access to care to score political points.”

If you are interested in connecting with patients, providers, or advocates who signed on to the letter, please contact Malachi White (malachi@freeandjust.us).

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

Wisconsin State Senator Kelda Roys Joins Local Physicians and Medical Students at Roundtable in Madison as Attacks on Abortion, Access to Health Care Escalate

Watch the event here.

MADISON, WI –– Today, Wisconsin State Senator Kelda Roys joined local physicians and medical students at a roundtable to highlight how Trump-era and Republican-led attacks on abortion access are harming families, impacting health care providers, and undermining the education of a generation of medical students in our country.

Today’s event is part of Free & Just’s “Summer Storytelling Series” featuring patient storytellers, local partners, and lawmakers in communities across the country highlighting how Trump-era and Republican-led attacks on abortion access are ending women’s lives and harming families — even in states where abortion remains legal.

At the event, local students and health care providers shed light on how attacks on reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy make it challenging to provide the patient care that patients need and deserve. 

“Earlier this summer, the Supreme Court here in Wisconsin struck down an 1849 abortion ban that had rendered abortion unavailable in our state for over a year after the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade. This was an important step forward for Wisconsinites – however, abortion is still quite heavily restricted here,” said State Senator Kelda Roys (D-Madison), who co-authored the Reproductive Freedom Act, which would ensure patients and doctors in Wisconsin have the power to make important health decisions free from political interference. “Republicans in Washington just passed their deeply unpopular, and frankly horribly offensive budget bill that is going to impact access to all types of health care, particularly reproductive health care. The impact on our ability to meet the needs of Wisconsinites is extreme, but there is also a tremendous human cost.”

“The evidence is very clear: Restricting access to reproductive health care harms individuals, families, and communities,” said Amy Williamson, MPP, who serves as the Associate Director of the Collaborative for Reproductive Equity. Williamson shared concerns that cuts to Medicaid and efforts to close down Planned Parenthood clinics in Wisconsin and across the country will fuel a public health crisis, and leave patients without access to basic health care. 

“While the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the 1849 abortion ban was a relief in a lot of ways, it does not mean that the state legislature couldn’t pass an abortion ban in the future, so our right to both access and provide abortion in our state is not protected,” said Dr. Abby Cutler, an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the UW School of Medicine & Public Health. “Ultimately, this fundamental right is tied to the political winds, and politics and medicine do not belong together.”

“As a medical student, I am constantly thinking about the legal landscape around reproductive health care. I have to really think about if I want to do my residency in Wisconsin or practice medicine here,” said Morgan Homme, a member of UWSMPH Med Students for Choice. “It’s hard to grapple with because I grew up here, my family is here, and I love this state. But, if they are not going to allow me to practice the full scope of care, I really can’t limit my training.”

“When I started about the scope of reproductive care, I came to realize how far removed laws restricting abortion are from actually happens in the clinic,” said Emily Chou, a member of UWSMPH Med Students for Choice. “Patients are usually very clear and confident in their decision, but Wisconsin takes that choice out of the hands of the patient as if to say ‘we know better than you.’ Ultimately, these laws just make it harder for people to access the care they want and need.”

You can watch the event here. If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants in the press event, please contact malachi@freeandjust.us. 

Free & Just is committed to fighting for reproductive freedom. Join us in sharing stories, raising voices, and securing our future. 

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

Congresswoman Deborah Ross Spotlights GOP Attacks on Abortion and Access to Health Care Alongside North Carolina Advocates and Storytellers

Watch the event here.

RALEIGH, NC— Today, Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) joined Free & Just, Planned Parenthood Votes! South Atlantic, storytellers, and local partners to highlight how Trump-era and Republican-led attacks on abortion access are harming families — even in states where abortion remains legal. Together, they set the record straight on what’s at stake as Trump and GOP lawmakers push for a nationwide ban on abortion.

Throughout August, Free & Just is partnering with patient storytellers, local partners, and lawmakers in communities across the country for a “Summer Storytelling Series” to amplify the stories of real people impacted by attacks on abortion and reproductive freedom.

At the event, Congresswoman Ross, Free & Just, and local advocates shed light on what is at stake as Trump and Republican lawmakers launch new attacks on reproductive freedom in North Carolina and across the country.

“Trump and Republicans in Congress are using the power of the federal government to strip away our rights and our health care. They say they want to leave abortion to the states, but the truth is that they are working hard every day to ban basic care for women. Indeed, they continue to pursue insidious policies that chip away at a woman’s right to choose, harming women and families even in states where abortion remains legal,” said Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02). “Here’s the bottom line: every woman in America deserves the freedom to make their own decisions about their own health care.”  

“Every day I walk into an emergency department that serves as the last line of defense, a place of refuge for people who have nowhere else to go. Increasingly, I'm seeing patients traveling from other states just to access abortion care — a care for women who delayed seeking treatment until their condition became life threatening, not because they didn't want care, but because they were navigating the legal and logistical maze; trying to find a provider, a clinic, or even just safe passage into a state like ours,” said Dr. John David Purkal, an ER physician based in North Carolina. “When a pregnant woman walks into the emergency department, scared and alone, our health care system should not fail her. Reproductive rights are about ensuring she gets the care she needs when she needs it without fear or delay. Our emergency departments are social barometers. They reflect the fractures in our system and the resilience of our people. But they are not infinite safety nets. We can't treat a failing system with emergency patches. We need leadership. We need protections, we need funding, and we need to say unequivocally: abortion care is health care and health care is a human right.” 

“After Roe v. Wade was overturned, our state has become one of the few remaining refuges for abortion access in the South, as limited as it may be. But once people get here, patients are forced to navigate decades of politically manufactured barriers, mandatory in-person counseling, long waiting periods, physician only prescribing requirements for medication abortion, and outright bans on telehealth services. None of these restrictions are about patient safety, they are about control,” said Cara Schumann, Deputy Director of Federal Strategies at All* Above All. “Make no mistake, even as President Trump claims he will not support a national abortion ban, his allies, including appointees, members of Congress, well-funded anti-abortion lobbyists are already laying the groundwork, and their eyes are set on medication abortion. This agenda is a dangerous rollback of safe, science-backed care, and it blatantly ignores the will of the American people.”

“Every person should be able to access quality affordable health care from a provider they trust, no matter their income or their insurance status. The government's latest attempts to block people with Medicaid coverage from going to Planned Parenthood for basic reproductive health care including birth control, cancer screenings, and the treatment for STIs is abhorrent,” said Jillian Riley, NC Director of Public Affairs, Planned Parenthood Votes! South Atlantic. “In many places across North Carolina, it can be really difficult to find a health care provider who will accept Medicaid coverage. And when you find one, there is often a long wait before you can even get your appointment. The government shouldn't be in the business of making it harder for people to get the care they need. Our elected officials should let every health care provider do their jobs, and patients make their own health care decisions. It's a freedom that we all deserve.”

“Right now, North Carolina has one of the strictest abortion bans in the country. Abortion is restricted to just 12 weeks and 6 days. On top of that, patients are forced to wait 72 hours after an in-person consultation before they can receive care,” said Gabby Long, Choice Hotline Manager with A Woman’s Choice. “North Carolina’s restrictions don’t only affect patients in our state—they also impact those traveling here from across the Southeast, where abortion is either banned entirely or cut off at 6 weeks, which might as well be a total ban. These laws don’t protect anyone. They only push people already facing difficult situations into even harder, more dangerous ones.”

You can watch the event here. If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants in the press event, please contact malachi@freeandjust.us. 

Free & Just is committed to fighting for reproductive freedom. Join us in sharing stories, raising voices, and securing our future. 

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

Congresswoman Katherine Clark, Former Texas State Senator Wendy Davis, Patients, Providers, and Advocates Spotlight Anniversaries of Deadly Texas Abortion Bans

Watch the event here.

Austin, TX –– Today, Congresswoman Katherine Clark (MA-05) and former Texas State Senator Wendy Davis joined Free & Just patient and physician storytellers from across Texas to highlight how Trump-era and Republican-led attacks on abortion access are harming Texas families. Through the power of storytelling, patients and providers will spotlight not only deeply personal and painful moments, but also will uplift the real-world consequences of abortion bans.

The event kicked off a week of action in Texas, with advocates, storytellers, and partner organizations across the state spotlighting how abortion bans harm women and families. The week of action is bookended by two grim anniversaries: August 25th marks three years since the enactment of Texas’ trigger ban, which outlaws almost all abortions in the state, and September 1st marks four years since the enactment of SB 8 in 2021, which banned abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected – usually around six weeks.

At the event, Congresswoman Clark, patient and physician storytellers, and community leaders shared how attacks on reproductive freedom harm women and families in Texas and across the country.

"For three years, Texas Republicans have systematically banned reproductive health care, criminalized doctors, and stripped their own residents of bodily autonomy,” said Democratic Whip Rep. Katherine Clark (MA-05). “Clinics are boarded up, doctors are fleeing the state, and innocent people are paying the price with their lives. And now, these extremists are doubling down and trying to take this chaos nationwide. The American people are fighting back – and we will not let up until we restore reproductive freedom in every state and every zip code.”

“Unfortunately, Texas tends to be ground zero for the passage of these impingements on our constitutional freedoms, and also, unfortunately, tends to write the playbook for so many other states. We see that not only in abortion bans on the restriction of abortion medication, the fight to try to restrict that medication and its use all over the country, but we're also seeing it with the dramatic defunding of reproductive health care,” said Former Texas Senator Wendy Davis. “When we are denying women the ability to control our own reproductive choices, when we are denying women the ability to control our own health, our lives, and our ability, of course to pursue becoming parents one day as we choose to do, and to live the life that we all deserve; These constraints, upon constraints, upon constraints are creating an absolute traumatic, dramatically terrible situation in the lives of women in our state — and it will continue to have consequences.”

“Instead of helping families recover after July’s devastating floods, instead of listening to Texans, the legislature has spent this session redrawing congressional maps to protect their power and advancing another cruel abortion ban,” said Kaitlyn Kash, an original plaintiff in Zurawski v. Texas. “As a Texan with firsthand experience of what happens when men hastily pass laws about medical care, I am terrified at the thought of what health care will look like if SB 7 passes. When my baby was diagnosed with a lethal fetal anomaly, I was sent home with my medical records and told to figure it out. I was then treated like a criminal for trying to access the medication that this bill targets for a subsequent miscarriage. And then I nearly died in childbirth because I needed a D&C, a procedure that is constantly caught up in these bans. That is what it looks like to live in Texas under our existing three abortion bans. And I have to ask, what will it look like under a fourth?” 

“I am here because Texas law forced me to flee my home state, not once but twice in one year, to receive abortion care that was medically necessary. I worry every day that more women in Texas will suffer, or even die, because of the extreme abortion bans that politicians have forced upon us,” said Hollie Cunningham, an original plaintiff in Zurawski v. Texas. “Since SB 8, since the Supreme Court's cruel Dobbs decision, and since Texas' trigger ban, dozens of women like me have been denied the care they need in the face of dangerous life-threatening pregnancies. No woman should ever be forced to suffer or risk her life because of an extreme political agenda. The fear, pain, and abandonment I felt will stay with me forever, but I will not stop speaking out. My hope is that by sharing my story and by standing together, we can make change. We can restore reproductive freedom, not only for Texas women, but for women across this country.”

“Despite taking every step I could as a teenager to be proactive about my reproductive health, and being in no position to navigate pregnancy or parenthood, I was forced to schedule an appointment a month out and travel over 700 miles, or 11 hours, from San Antonio, TX to Albuquerque, NM to access an abortion,” said DakotaRei Frausto, a college student who struggled to access birth control as a teenager. “To complacent politicians, we are nothing more than numbers. We are not patients, friends, mothers, or daughters. My abortion saved my life. It opened doors. It allowed me to invest in my community and myself and recognize the power an individual can have. And this is exactly why Texas is relentless in its attacks on all forms of reproductive justice. Pregnancy should not be a death sentence, and abortion should not be a prison sentence. Texans deserve to have a say in how they have children, don't have children, and raise the children they have in safe, sustainable environments.”

“As the mother of three wonderful children, I know how beautiful and special pregnancy and motherhood can be. However, as a doctor, I also know that pregnancy is not without risks. Abortion restrictions rob people of choice and make my job harder to do,” said Dr. Anitra Beasley, obstetrician gynecologist. “During SB 8, it was heart-wrenching to tell people that they could not have an abortion, because there was cardiac activity in their five-week pregnancy. To walk out of the room and hear a patient that had been so stoic during the appointment sobbing because they know that they could not get out of state and would have to continue the pregnancy. Now post Dobbs, these patients are often unseen and left out of conversations, but they should not be forgotten. I stay here practicing in Texas because I am a Texan, and my fellow Texans need a good doctor and good health care, but it is hard. It is hard to be constrained by harmful laws that do not help women. We should be doing everything in our power to help women lead healthy lives, have healthy pregnancies, and have healthy outcomes.”

Texas has imposed more abortion restrictions than almost any other state, but extremist lawmakers want to go even further. Last week, the Houston Chronicle’s editorial board blasted Texas Republicans for advancing SB 7, the dangerous bill being considered during the second special legislative session, allowing private citizens to sue anyone who provides abortion medication — even when it’s used to save a woman’s life. 

If you are interested in speaking with any of the storytellers quoted above, or any other Texas storytellers impacted by the state’s abortion bans, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us and malachi@freeandjust.us.

On Third Anniversary of Amber Nicole Thurman’s Death, Senator Jon Ossoff Joins Family and Community Members at Free & Just Vigil Honoring Women Killed by Georgia’s Abortion Ban

ATLANTA, GA –– Today, Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA), joined Shanette Williams, whose daughter, Amber Nicole Thurman, lost her life as a result of Georgia’s abortion ban, and Turiya Tomlin-Randall, whose sister, Candi Miller was killed by the state’s ban, at a vigil hosted by Free & Just to mark the third anniversary of Amber’s passing and demand justice for all those impacted by abortion bans.

In November 2024, ProPublica reported on the preventable deaths of Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller, two mothers who lost their lives as a result of Georgia’s extreme abortion ban. Details included in reports from Georgia’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee, which investigates pregnancy-related deaths in the state, confirm that both women’s deaths were preventable, and the result of limited access to timely medical care. 

At the event, US Senator Jon Ossoff pledged to continue supporting Amber and Candi’s families. “Amber was a daughter and also a mother, and I have had the honor of getting to know her son in the last few years. Amber was taken from her mother, taken from her siblings, perhaps most unforgivably, taken from her own child. We are all here to stand alongside Amber and Candi’s families. This entire community has your back now and forever.”

In remarks shared by a member of his team, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock reflected on the preventable deaths of Amber and Candi, and honored the courage of their families, who continue to share their stories. “The loss of these two women was immeasurable, and their absence will be long felt by those who knew and loved them best – and in the hearts and minds of people across Georgia.” The Senator continued, “I commend your efforts to continue to fight for quality health care that protects women and provides all patients with the dignity and access they deserve.”

“Three years ago, my entire family’s lives changed forever,” said Shanette Williams, Amber Nicole Thurman’s mother, who continues to share Amber’s story to prevent other families from suffering like hers has. “When I found out what really happened to Amber, my grief turned into a fight and I became an advocate for our rights. This fight is not just about me and my family – I am fighting for change for every woman – and we are going to get change.” 

“We shouldn’t have to do this, but we wake up every day and face the loss of our loved ones,” said Turiya Tomlin-Randall, Candi Miller’s sister, who traveled from out-of-state to participate in the event and honor her sister and Amber Nicole Thurman. “My sister’s children will never get to see their mother again because Georgia law left her too afraid to go to the hospital. This is going to continue to happen. That is why we have to speak up and fight these attacks on reproductive rights. No one should be telling us what we’re able to do with our bodies.”

Abortion bans are killing women across the country, and instead of working to expand access to care, Trump and extremists in Congress just jammed through dangerous cuts that will strip millions of people from health care, leaving more lives at risk. Now more than ever, we must amplify the stories of people affected by these attacks and help people across the country understand how gutting access to abortion and reproductive care unravels lives, and puts people and families in impossible, sometimes life-threatening situations.

If you are interested in speaking with Shanette Williams or Turiya Tomlin-Randall, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us.

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

ICYMI: Houston Chronicle Editorial Board on Texas Republicans’ Latest Scheme: “Another Texas abortion bill that’s anything but pro-life”

“Lawmakers should focus instead on flood relief and prevention, not extreme policies that threaten women.”

TEXAS – Today, the Houston Chronicle’s editorial board blasted Texas Republicans for advancing SB 7, a dangerous bill that would let private citizens sue anyone who provides abortion medication — even when it’s used to save a woman’s life.Texas lawmakers began a second special legislative session on Friday, August 15, and immediately rushed to introduce SB 7, dangerous new legislation that would allow any private person to sue manufacturers, distributors, or doctors who provide abortion medication — even when the medications are used to save the life of a pregnant woman.

The Chronicle's editorial board urges lawmakers to face the reality of Texas’ rising maternal mortality rate, and listen to the doctors warnings: politicians are threatening the very tools used to save women’s lives.

“Texas would like to imagine itself as the most pro-baby state. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the Senate he leads are now sending the opposite message. In a state that once addressed maternal mortality with doctor-informed recommendations and lifesaving tools, now lawmakers are threatening those very tools.”

The editorial board also criticizes the undemocratic measures taken by Texas Republicans, who seem keen to keep the public at arm’s length while they jam through a deadly new abortion ban. 

“Republican lawmakers appear eager to rush it through this time, too: the bill was filed and voted on by committee before the dust even settled Friday — or important stakeholders were notified of the hearing. Lawmakers should focus instead on flood relief and prevention, not extreme policies that threaten women.”

“Abortion bans are already killing women in Texas. Now Republican lawmakers – at the Trump administration’s direction - are rigging the system with more restrictions that leave patients in crisis without access to care,” said Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just.

If you are interested in connecting with Texas patients, providers, or advocates about what is at stake for women and families across the state right now, please contact Kelly Rimar (kelly.rimar@freeandjust.us). 

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

ICYMI: Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari and Local Advocates Join Free & Just at Mural Unveiling Honoring Georgia Women Lost to Abortion Ban

Atlanta, GA  –– Atlanta City Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari, local partners, and advocates joined Free & Just  to unveil a mural by local artist Jasmine Nicole Williams honoring Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller, two Georgia mothers who lost their lives as a result of the state’s abortion ban. The unveiling comes just days before the third anniversary of the Supreme Court’s deadly Dobbs decision, which ripped away the right to safe and legal abortion. In the years since, attacks on reproductive freedom have continued to escalate, and women in Georgia and across the country have lost their lives as a result of abortion bans and restrictions.

These aren’t isolated incidents. Right now, we know of five confirmed deaths due to abortion bans in Texas and Georgia. But we know that there are more and Republican officials in Georgia and other states are going out of their way to suppress and hide information about lives lost to abortion bans. 

At the event, local patient storytellers, health care providers, and community members shared how attacks on reproductive freedom harm women and families in Georgia and across the country.

“It is devastating what we’re seeing here in Georgia,” said Atlanta City Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari, who represents District 5. “When you strip away bodily autonomy, it affects families and the health of everyone in our communities.”

“We mourn and honor the lives of Adriana Smith, Candi Miller, and Amber Nicole Thurman. These women died preventable deaths after they were denied or prevented from accessing emergency abortion care,” said Director of Georgia Campaigns for Reproductive Freedom for All, Alicia Stallworth. “We can not and we will not stop fighting for reproductive freedom, because we deserve dignity, safety, and access to lifesaving care.” 

“This is personal. These weren’t just names you read in a headline. These were women in our communities, and they’ve left behind families as a consequence of Georgia’s draconian abortion ban,” said Jaylen Black withPlanned Parenthood Southeast Advocates. “If we do not take a stand to protect our health care at this moment, unfortunately, the women we see on this wall will not be the only ones lost to our abortion ban.”

“When I learned about the preventable deaths of Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller, my heart shattered. I was angry, and I didn’t know what to do,” said Jasmine Nicole Williams, the artist who designed the mural. “The brutality of their deaths is a howling cry to the collective. We have to stand up and fight back.”

“This is not a woman’s issue, this is a people’s issue,” said Dr. Karenne Fru, MD, PHD, FACOG, an OB-GYN and the owner of Muna Fertility. “There is a reason people go to med school – we want to help people. We want to make others’ lives better. These lawmakers never went to med school – what gives them the right to interfere in medical decisions?” 

“How many times do we have to see this happen? How many times do we have to do this?” asked Davan'te Jennings, the Youth Organizing Director with Men4Choice, an organization dedicated to drawing men off the sidelines in the fight for reproductive freedom. “People love to tell men to be more macho, to protect our families. Standing up for reproductive freedom is the most manly thing we can do.” 

If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants in the press event, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. 

Free & Just is committed to fighting for reproductive freedom. Join us in sharing stories, raising voices, and securing our future. 

Senator Patty Murray Hosts Roundtable with Patient Storytellers and Providers Amid GOP Attacks on Abortion and Access to Health Care

SEATTLE, WA ––Today, Senator Patty Murray hosted a roundtable with local patients, providers, and advocates to highlight how Trump-era and Republican-led attacks on abortion and access to health care are harming families. Together, they’ll set the record straight about what’s at stake as Trump and GOP lawmakers push for a nationwide ban on abortion.

In July, President Trump signed into law a massive spending package that defunds Planned Parenthood and slashes health coverage for millions of people. The same officials who say they want to “leave abortion up to the states” are exploiting the power of the federal government to roll back our rights even further – and the consequences will be devastating.

At the roundtable, Senator Murray, patient and physician storytellers, and community leaders shared how attacks on reproductive freedom harm women and families across the country.

“The horror stories caused by abortion bans have not stopped since Republicans ended the right to abortion, implemented cruel bans, and plunged this country into a full-blown health care crisis. And unfortunately, Republican attacks on abortion care have not stopped,” said US Senator Patty Murray. “But we are still pushing back and fighting for reproductive rights in every way we can. As Appropriations Vice Chair, I am working to reject Trump’s proposal to slash Title X and eliminate the Teen Pregnancy Prevention program, among other awful ideas. The funding bill we passed out of committee last week funds these programs. Democrats are pushing to reverse the damage from Trump’s Big Ugly Bill, so we can restore Planned Parenthood funds, save patients from losing care, and save hospitals. And we are keeping our spotlight on how Republicans’ anti-abortion extremism is hurting women every day. From abortion care to rural hospitals, health care is under attack here in America. The fight to change this is today and every day until we can reverse these cuts and keep making progress.”

“My husband serves in the Air Force, and attacks on reproductive freedom and access to health care feel like a slap in the face. We worry about the hostility of the next state we are stationed in,” said Emily Cuarenta, a student at Eastern Washington University who lives with her husband on an Air Force base in Spokane. “The Dobbs decision opened the floodgates to oppressive, medically inaccurate laws that endanger the lives of pregnant people. In addition to suffering poor maternal health outcomes, pregnant people now fear criminalization of their pregnancy outcomes.”

“The’ Big Ugly Bill’ strips people of their access to reproductive health care, their choices in family planning and their fundamental human right to health care,” said Dr. Keemi Ereme, an OB/GYN and Complex Family Planning Fellow at the University of Washington. “This legislation will lead to many preventable deaths, and that is simply unacceptable.”

“Planned Parenthood affiliates in Washington provide high quality reproductive health care to more than 100,000 patients every year, including patients who come across state lines because their state has eliminated preventive care access and banned abortions entirely. But care in Washington is at risk like it is everywhere else: the Republican budget bill will eliminate health insurance for tens of thousands of Washingtonians, and will defund Planned Parenthood by banning us from Medicaid,” said Rebecca Gibron, CEO, Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawaiʻi, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky.

“Without support from state and local governments to fill the gap, health centers in Washington will close and patients will lose access to care. We are thankful to Senator Murray for being the national leader on reproductive health and rights as she fights to restore funding and reverse the ban, and we are thankful for leaders in Washington who are committed to finding local revenue to keep our doors open.”

“I did my residency training as a family physician in Idaho and have stayed all these years to practice because Idaho had built a safe system of care that I was proud to be a part of, one where I could care for my small rural community to the best of my ability and training, and refer my patients to higher level of care when they needed it. All of that changed when the Dobbs decision triggered Idaho’s extreme and dangerous near total abortion ban into effect,” said Dr. Caitlin Gustafson, a family physician who practices in rural Idaho, and the co-president of the Idaho Coalition for Safe Healthcare. “The reduction in this workforce further threatens healthcare access, not just for women but for all Idahoans. With Medicaid cuts looming, our ability to do our jobs to keep our communities safe and healthy will become that much more difficult. Still, I remain hopeful because, as in the rest of America, most Idahoans believe that healthcare decisions are best left to patients and their families in consultation with their doctor, not their politicians.”

Access to safe and legal abortion through Planned Parenthood saved my life,” said Heather Mullin, a patient storyteller and local advocate from the Seattle area. “I was the victim of a predator who was a respected person in our community and used his position of power and access to harm children. He once told me that he had noticed me when I was in the sixth grade, which makes me about 11 years old. I was repeatedly sexually assaulted from the age of 13 until I became pregnant when I was 15. And I knew that when I became pregnant at the time that I was not going to have the baby. I felt very afraid and alone, and I didn’t want my abuser’s baby to be my life sentence. So, I sought out a legal and safe abortion at Planned Parenthood. I took the bus during spring break of my freshman year of high school, when my parents thought I was at track practice. And I got an abortion, and nobody knew about it for a really long time—and I didn’t really talk about it publicly until the Dobbs decision. And I really felt it was important for people to know that there are all sorts of reasons for having an abortion, that you probably know someone who has had an abortion. And when I started talking about my story, I realized it was really a much more common experience than we sometimes think about and talk about. In our current state where we have outright abortion bans, including no exclusions for rape or incest, we’re talking about forcing children to give birth. And that’s the kind of thing that really keeps me up tonight, and why I’m here today to talk about the importance of funding abortion care and access to abortion. It’s disturbing to me that some of our government officials seem to be protecting predators instead of victims.”

“In the fall of 2022, just one day after Idaho’s abortion ban took effect, my family received the devastating news that our very wanted son had several fatal fetal anomalies and there were no surgical interventions available,” said Kayla Smith, who moved her family from Idaho to Washington after being forced to flee the state for lifesaving abortion care. “In 2023, when I was pregnant with my youngest daughter, we moved our family to Washington state out of fear. Idaho was no longer a safe place to raise our daughters. The truth is that abortion bans do not save lives –– they put them at risk, and cutting Medicaid will only make matters worse. Getting an abortion is now a privilege, when it should be health care that is readily available to anyone who needs one or chooses to have one.”  Smith is a former plaintiff in Adkins v. State of Idaho, a landmark lawsuit challenging Idaho’s extreme abortion ban. 

Today’s roundtable is part of Free & Just’s “Summer Storytelling Series,” featuring patient storytellers, local partners, and lawmakers in communities across the country to amplify the human cost of abortion bans. Later this month, Free & Just will be joined by local lawmakers, patients, providers, and advocates in Georgia and North Carolina. 

You can watch the event here. If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants in the press event, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. 

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