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The Florida House of Representatives, with a Republican majority, approved the ban on abortion for the first six weeks. A measure that adds to a series of actions that have drastically restricted the interruption of pregnancy in the state and throughout the southern United States.
A new blow to reproductive rights. With 70 votes in favor and 40 against, the Florida House of Representatives approved the bill against which the Democrats presented numerous amendments and is now in the hands of Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, a conservative who is emerging as a candidate for the presidency. from United States.
The initiative was introduced by Senator Erin Grall, and before it passed the Senate test. As of July 1, 2022, you can only legally abort in Florida up to 15 weeks into the pregnancy, instead of the 24 weeks established before that date. But now, with the signing of DeSantis, The deadline for terminating the pregnancy would be further tightened, reducing it to six weeks.
The White House spokeswoman, Karine Jean-Pierre, assured that the approval and imminent promulgation supposes a “new, extreme and dangerous prohibition of abortion.”
“The ban goes against fundamental freedoms and is out of step with the views of the vast majority of people in Florida and across the United States,” he added.
For his part, Vice President Kamala Harris, condemned the determination. “Let’s be clear. This law would deny women in Florida access to basic health care,” she said on her Twitter account.
Extremists in the Florida State Legislature have officially passed a ban on abortion after six weeks – that’s before many even know they’re pregnant.
Let’s be clear: This law would deny women across Florida access to basic health care.
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) April 13, 2023
The bill has some exceptions, how to maintain abortion in cases of rape, incest or human trafficking. Some that, however, must be argued with sufficient documentation for each case. It will also be possible to access the interruption of the pregnancy if the life of the mother is in danger, according to the certification of two doctors.
Another restriction of the regulation is the supply by mail of abortion medications, such as pills, which could now only be prescribed in person.
Abortion, a political battle in the US
Abortion is at the center of a political debate in the United States since the Supreme Court annulled the case Roe v. Wade last year —the judicial case that had been in force since 1973 and allowed the federal government to guarantee the right to abortion throughout the country. But the Supreme Court’s decision opened the possibility for each state to decide its own rules regarding the termination of pregnancy.
According to polls, support for abortion rights helped Democrats edge out Republicans in November’s midterm elections. A Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed that about 50% of Americans are totally or somewhat opposed to a national ban on abortion at six weeks gestation. In addition, it reveals that 44% of Republicans reject this measure.
The same poll showed that 43% of Republicans said they were less likely to vote for a politician who limits access to abortion.
But limiting abortion is strongly defended by many of the Republican leaders. “We have the opportunity to lead the nation in protecting life and giving every child the chance to be born and find their purpose,” said Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka of Fort Myers.
Instead, the detractors of the measure reiterate their arguments. One of the main ones is that many women do not even know they are pregnant in the first six weeks of gestation.
A political decision?
Alexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, which advocates for reproductive and health care, said “abortion bans have doubled down to deprive millions of people of essential health care.” ORSome “political decisions” that, according to what he points out, hurt “black and Latino, LGBTQ+ and low-income people” above all.
Under Florida’s 6-week abortion ban, patients will be forced to travel hundreds—if not thousands—of thousands out of state to access care, or remain pregnant against their will.
Floridians are being robbed of their freedom by the state.
This isn’t over. DC: @GovRonDeSantis https://t.co/FSL1i0kcFo
—Alexis McGill Johnson (@alexismcgill) April 13, 2023
The criticisms are multiple to the decision of the southern state of the country. Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison stated, “In his relentless quest to win over the ‘MAGA’ (Make America Great Again) base, Ron DeSantis is about to make good on his promise to take away women’s freedom of make their own health care decisions.
“DeSantis has pledged to sign this even more extreme ban that applies to a point before many women even know they are pregnant. This ban will be one of the strictest in the country and is just the latest bout of extremism against abortion,” she said. Harrison.
States like Alabama, Texas or Mississippi, prohibited abortion at any stage of pregnancy. The Florida initiative, which now awaits the imminent signature of DeSantis, was approved the same day that the US government announced its willingness to appeal the Supreme Court decision that turned abortion into a political battle between Democrats and Republicans.
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