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Democrats organize abortion rights rally ahead of midterms

The Abortion Freedom for All Rally took place at the state capitol on Monday morning.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Several state Democrat lawmakers and abortion rights activists organized the Abortion Freedom for All Rally on the steps of the state capitol on Monday morning. 

State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D-184) said the rally's purpose was to highlight new abortion rights bills, proposed just a few weeks ago.

The legislation includes: 

  • House Bill 2766, that will prohibit cooperation with out-of-state criminal abortion investigations 
  • A constitutional amendment protecting the right to an abortion and contraceptives
  • A protective access to abortion package.

Right now in Pennsylvania, abortion is banned after 24 weeks—and women must wait 24 hours after counseling to receive the procedure.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, since 2020, there has been over 32,000 across the Commonwealth, with only 18 clinics providing the service and less than 20 percent of counties having any clinic at all.

Fiedler said that since the Dobbs Decision overturned Roe v. Wade, this rally will be a reminder for people as they head into the midterms. 

"As Democratic lawmakers," said Fiedler, "we are 100% committed to defending abortion rights and to making sure that everybody across the commonwealth has access to an abortion, if that is the choice that they make for themselves.”

However, Republican state lawmakers said they do not need see the necessity to expand reproductive freedoms. State representative Kate Clunk (194th- R), believes that the expansions state Democrats are proposing are too extreme. 

“In Pennsylvania right now, you can have an abortion for any reason, up until six months of gestation," said Clunk. "And if you look across the nation, we are actually very, very liberal when it comes to our abortion policies.”

Along with Fiedler, the Abortion Freedom for All Rally was organized by Lancaster Stands Up, Planned Parenthood, PA Stands Up, Working Families Party, DSA, Make the Road, and We The People.

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