Scoop: Senate Dems' emergency abortion care blitz
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Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) at the U.S. Capitol on June 21, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Top Senate Democrats will force Republicans to vote on access to emergency abortion care this week, in one of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)'s final pre-election messaging pushes, Axios has learned.
The big picture: The death of a Georgia woman who was refused emergency care because of the state's abortion restrictions has become the latest rallying cry for Democrats who are wagering abortion will be a winning issue for their party on Nov. 5.
- Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), will seek unanimous consent Tuesday to pass a resolution she introduced last week affirming that every person has a right to emergency health care, including abortion care.
- Murray's move will force Republicans to either block the measure or pass it.
- Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) also will seek unanimous consent Tuesday on a bill that would offset travel costs for people seeking abortion care.
Catch up quick: An investigation published by ProPublica last week highlighted the circumstances of Amber Nicole Thurman's 2022 death — the first publicly reported death caused by delayed abortion care.
Zoom in: The maneuvers represent Senate Democrats' parting shots in their messaging war with with Republicans before lawmakers go home to campaign ahead of Election Day.
- Schumer will join a press conference at the Capitol Tuesday focused on access to emergency reproductive care.
- Senate Democrats have made abortion access their most prominent campaign issue, forcing Republicans this month to block a bill promoting universal IVF coverage.
- Schumer has used the Senate floor to go on offense against Republicans over everything from reproductive rights to gun control in the run-up to the election.
Zoom out: Senate Republicans have blocked similar attempts from Democrats in the past few months, and there is little reason to believe the outcome will be different this time around.
- Abortion access will be a top issue in a number of states where Schumer is trying to protect incumbents so he can retain his majority.
- There also will be abortion measures on the ballot in Arizona, Florida, Maryland, Montana and Nevada — all states where Schumer is trying either to flip or keep a seat.
