The House of Representatives affirms every person's basic right to emergency health care, including abortion care.
Emilia Sykes
Representative
OH-13
This bill affirms the House of Representatives' belief that every person has the right to emergency health care, including abortion care. It argues that abortion restrictions endanger lives, force doctors to make impossible choices, and disproportionately harm people of color, low-income individuals, and LGBTQI individuals. The bill emphasizes that delays in emergency care due to abortion bans can lead to life-threatening situations and that everyone, including pregnant individuals, should have access to necessary medical care without discrimination.
House Resolution Affirms Right to Emergency Abortion Care: Protecting Patients in Life-Threatening Situations
This House resolution flat-out declares that everyone, especially pregnant people, has a fundamental right to emergency healthcare – and that includes abortion.
What's the Deal?
The resolution directly addresses the growing concerns around state-level abortion bans. It points out that these restrictions can put doctors in an impossible position: provide necessary care and risk prosecution, or withhold care and endanger the patient. The resolution emphasizes that delaying or denying emergency care, including abortions, can be life-threatening.
Real-World Impact
The resolution highlights that this isn't just a theoretical problem. It specifically mentions conditions like heart failure, severe bleeding, and premature rupture of membranes where delaying care can have dire consequences. Imagine a pregnant person experiencing severe bleeding – the resolution argues they should receive immediate, life-saving care without legal hurdles or fear of prosecution. It notes that confusion caused by abortion bans can make providers hesitate to provide necessary care, even in life-threatening situations. (Section on "confusion caused by abortion bans")
Who's Most Affected?
The resolution makes it clear that these restrictions disproportionately harm people of color, particularly Black and Indigenous pregnant patients, who are already at higher risk for pregnancy complications. Immigrants, low-income individuals, and LGBTQI+ folks also face increased barriers to care, and the resolution calls out this disparity. (Section on "disproportionately affects people of color")
Laying Down the Law
While it is a resolution, and not a bill, the core message is that everyone should have access to the emergency care they need, without discrimination or delay. This resolution is about protecting both patients and providers, ensuring that medical decisions are based on what's best for the patient's health, not political pressure. (Section on "every person's right to emergency care")