After Boasting Support for IVF, Anti-Abortion Senators Block Legislation to Protect Access to IVF Treatment

The Right to IVF Act would lower costs and expand access to IVF treatment nationwide  

WASHINGTON, DC –– Today, anti-abortion extremists in the Senate blocked the Right to IVF Act, legislation that would preserve access to IVF treatment and make the procedure more affordable for families across the country. In an attempt to distract from today’s vote, all 49 Senate Republicans signed onto a statement proclaiming support for IVF just hours before voting against the Right to IVF Act. 

The vote comes nearly two years after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade jeopardized access to IVF treatment nationwide, and marks the second time in one week that anti-abortion lawmakers have voted to restrict access to reproductive health care.

In an effort to distance themselves from the fallout of overturning Roe, anti-abortion lawmakers continue to assert false claims supporting protecting access to IVF treatment. In reality, today’s vote marks the third time in five months that anti-abortion extremists in the Senate have blocked legislation that would protect access to IVF treatment. Instead of delivering on their promise to protect IVF, by passing legislation like the Right to IVF Act, anti-abortion lawmakers like Senators Katie Britt of Alabama and Ted Cruz of Texas are pushing bogus bills that fall far short of preserving access to IVF treatment.

Protecting access to IVF treatment is overwhelmingly popular. According to recent polling 4 in 5 Americans believe IVF should be legal, and 2 in 3 disagree with the Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling earlier this year that embryos could be legally considered as children. Still, anti-abortion lawmakers continue to block legislation that would protect access to IVF across the country.

Following today’s vote, IVF patients from across the country expressed frustration and shared how ongoing attacks on reproductive freedom have affected their families. 

“The opportunity to grow my family on my own terms means a lot to me, especially after being robbed of the power to manage my last pregnancy by extremist lawmakers in Wisconsin,” said Dr. Anna Igler, an OB/GYN based in Green Bay who was forced to travel to Colorado for abortion care after receiving a devastating fetal diagnosis during her last pregnancy. “I am outraged that the same lawmakers who claim to support growing families like mine continue to stand in the way of protecting access to IVF treatment. It’s hypocrisy, plain and simple.” 

“Deciding to become a parent and going through IVF treatment is a deeply personal experience.,” said Anne Angus from Montana who adjusted her own IVF treatment timeline when anti-abortion lawmakers began targeting access to IVF. “On top of the physically grueling process, patients like me now have to worry about whether they will even be able to continue treatment. This is a decision that shouldn't be happening on anyone else’s timeline; it should be on mine. Instead of empowering people like me who are trying to expand their families, extremist lawmakers are threatening it. ”

“I am sure that Senator Britt would applaud me if I told her how badly I want to be a mom,” said Emily Capilouto, an IVF patient in Alabama whose treatment was halted after the state’s Supreme Court ruled that embryos could be legally considered as children. “My Senator would applaud and then vote against protecting access to IVF treatment for people like me. It doesn’t make sense.” 

“Anti-abortion lawmakers love to brag about their support for growing families, but the truth is that these same lawmakers continue to take actions that restrict reproductive freedom and attacks on IVF are just another way for them to chip away at access to comprehensive reproductive health care,” said Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just. “As we await a decision in Idaho and Moyle, et al. v. United States, the case that could put lifesaving emergency care out of reach for women across the country, we must remember that extremist lawmakers will not stop until abortion is banned across the country.”

If you are interested in speaking with any of the storytellers quoted above, 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.

Extremist Anti-Abortion Senators Oppose Access to Contraception Across the Country

Despite support from nearly 8 in 10 Americans, anti-abortion extremists vote against Right to Contraception Act

WASHINGTON, DC –– Today, anti-abortion extremists in the United States Senate voted against the Right to Contraception Act, legislation that would protect access to basic birth control like oral contraceptives and IUDs at the federal level. The vote comes nearly two years after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, stripping millions of women of their right to safe and legal abortion. 

In the two years since the Trump-appointed Supreme Court overturned Roe, anti-abortion extremists have restricted reproductive freedom even further: They have limited access to contraception, including safe and FDA-approved abortion pills like mifepristone, blocked protections for IVF, and denied women the medical care they need to survive. In July 2022, 195 House Republicans opposed a bill that would have ensured the right to contraception nationally. Now more than ever, enshrining the right to contraception is essential to protect access to reproductive health care.

Even before the Supreme Court overturned Roe, most Americans agreed that birth control should be free and widely available if abortion were banned. According to recent polling, most Americans (53%) feel that access to contraception is in jeopardy in their home state, and more than 6 in 10 Americans are concerned that the Supreme Court will eliminate the right to contraception. 

Even though the Right to Contraception Act is supported by 8 in 10 Americans, including Democrats (94% favor / 4% oppose), independents (76% favor / 17% oppose), and Republicans (68% favor / 20% oppose), anti-abortion extremists in the Senate continue to stand in the way of guaranteeing access to contraception across the country. 

Storytellers from across the country responded to today’s vote and shared how ongoing attacks on reproductive freedom are harming their communities. 

“Obtaining birth control can be challenging, and a lot of people face obstacles in accessing the contraceptives they need,” said DakotaRei Frausto, a college student and reproductive justice organizer from San Antonio Texas who struggled to access birth control as a teenager. “We should be making it easier – not harder – for people to access contraceptives, especially at a time when extremists are making it difficult to access reproductive health care.”

“I was denied birth control when I served in the Navy and when I became pregnant, my life was turned upside down,” said Jessica Motsinger, a Navy veteran who lives in St. Louis Metro East, Illinois. “Today, anti-abortion lawmakers let Americans like me down. Providing access to contraception is not controversial – it’s empowering.”

“Every single day, patients across the country turn to doctors for help accessing contraceptives for a variety of reasons,” said Emmy Lambert, a third-year medical student at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee who plans to practice as an OB-GYN. “Lawmakers that target access to basic reproductive health care services are placing unjust harm onto patients.” 

“At a time where it is increasingly difficult to access reproductive health care, expanding access to contraception has the potential to be life-changing for people across the country,” said Veronica Ingrahm, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just. “Today, anti-abortion lawmakers confirmed that they will continue to attack our reproductive freedom, no matter how unpopular their efforts may be.”

If you are interested in speaking with any of the storytellers quoted above, 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.

New Ad Highlights What’s at Risk If SCOTUS Strikes Down Emergency Abortion Care Protections

Anti-abortion extremists are targeting protections that guarantee patients can access the lifesaving care, including abortion procedures, they need to survive a medical emergency 

Watch the ad here

Washington, D.C. — Today, Free & Just released a new ad calling attention to what is at stake should the conservative-led Supreme Court side with anti-abortion extremists who are challenging national protections that guarantee the right to receive life-saving care — including emergency abortion care — that could have dangerous outcomes for patients experiencing pregnancy complications. On Wednesday, Supreme Court justices will hear oral arguments in a consolidated case to decide whether or not hospitals can provide abortion care when required during emergency medical situations.

“Everyone deserves access to lifesaving health care when they’re faced with life-or-death situations and this includes abortion care. We’re educating constituents in key congressional districts about what’s at stake should Trump-appointed justices strike down these abortion protections—a dangerous precedent that would lead to hospitals turning away more patients, frighteningly worse health outcomes, and extremist politicians emboldened to further restrict access to health care,” said Veronica Ingrahm, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just. 

This ad is part of a six figure targeted digital and linear program across three Congressional districts: WI-03, TX-15, and NE-02 to raise awareness about this latest anti-abortion attack on reproductive freedom.

New polling shows a majority of voters support the law that protects a patient’s ability to access lifesaving care, and believe emergency abortion care should be protected if a woman’s health is at stake. 

Ad Script

Imagine you need emergency care.

Imagine someone you love does…

Only to be turned away.

That’s what’s at stake

As the Supreme Court decides whether hospitals are allowed

to provide emergency abortion care,

Including to help patients whose lives are at risk.

It could open the door to political interests restricting other emergency care

And interfering in doctors’ ability to do their jobs…

Or even throwing them in jail.

Don’t let politicians interfere in lifesaving health care.

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About Free & Just

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.

Donald Trump and Conservatives Want to Ban Abortion – Whether State-by-State or in a Nationwide Push

Personal Stories Highlight the Destructive and Extreme Conservative Anti-abortion Agenda that is Banning Access to Care and Putting Lives at Risk

Washington, D.C — Today, Donald Trump announced that abortion laws should be “left up to the states,” teeing up the next step in his and extremist Republicans’ plan to ban abortion and restrict reproductive freedom at the state-level  after Supreme Court judges he selected helped overturn federal abortion protections. 

Since Supreme Court Justices appointed by Former President Trump repealed the abortion protections of Roe 22 states across the country have banned abortion.

Because of this extremist plan, Women, families, and pregnant people have been forced to live with a dangerous new health care reality created by Conservative-led attacks on abortion care, medication abortion, access to contraception, and in vitro fertilization (IVF). 

This is just another step in extremist Conservatives’  multi-pronged plan to ban abortion nationwide – whether in a single sweeping piece of legislation, or through a state-by-state assault on abortion rights. 

“Donald Trump just took the next step in his plan to make it harder for women to receive an abortion when they need one. With access to medication abortion, IVF, and access to abortion care in emergency settings all at risk, it’s clear that Conservatives, led by Donald Trump, will not stop until they’ve achieved their goal of a nationwide abortion ban,” said Free & Just Campaign Director Veronica Ingham.

In response to Donald Trump’s statement, Free & Just is sharing stories from advocates that highlight the health risks and impacts of the state laws that ban and restrict access to abortion.

“Working under Georgia’s extreme six-week abortion ban has been devastating,” said Suki O, an ultrasound tech in Georgia for over 20 years. “I have had to console crying women in my office, including those who have been sexually assaulted, who have received a fatal fetal diagnosis, or who aren’t ready to be parents, after telling them I cannot provide them with the care they desperately want and need. Abortion bans harm patients’ health and put providers in impossible positions – that’s why people across the country are rejecting attacks on our reproductive freedom.”

“The decision to have an abortion saved my life, and I know the consequences firsthand of removing access to abortion services,” said Emma Burns, a recent graduate of Northern Arizona University living in Flagstaff, Arizona, who received a medication abortion while she was a college student. “Attacks on abortion care, like what we’re facing in Arizona, strip people of the agency over their bodies and their futures. I want these candidates to understand that everyone should have the freedom to make the best decisions for their lives and their futures.”

In the Louisiana Illuminator, Kaitlyn Joshua describes how she feels being pregnant as a Black woman in Louisiana under the state’s abortion ban: “I no longer feel safe being pregnant in Louisiana. Not as a Black woman who received inadequate and delayed medical care while enduring a painful miscarriage because of  my home state’s abortion ban … The effects of overturning Roe v. Wade have made pregnancy an even more dangerous experience for women in Louisiana, and it’s terrifying to consider how much worse our reality can become if Republicans enact a national abortion ban.”

In the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Dr. Kristin Lyerly describes benign a physician in a state with an extreme abortion ban post-Dobbs: “Since Wisconsin’s near-total ban on abortion was reinstated after the fall of Roe, I have witnessed how dangerous and heartbreaking it is for my patients when politics interferes with my ability to do my job and prevents me from providing the full spectrum of abortion care that I once could. I have counseled patients on family planning throughout my career and understand abortion as both a deeply personal decision and medically necessary procedure that must be protected. People have abortions for various reasons, and all are choices they should have the freedom to make.”

If you would like to interview one of these storytellers for a story, please email maggie@freeandjust.us.

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About Free & Just

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.

New Over-The-Counter Birth Control Pill Now Available, as the Biden Administration Renews Call to Protect Reproductive Health Care

The newly available drug will revolutionize how those seeking contraception get their birth control, paving the way for easier access to family planning methods 

Washington, D.C.—Today, oral contraceptive Opill, the first of its kind to be offered over-the-counter, is available for purchase, ushering in a new era of family planning that will save those seeking oral contraception valuable time otherwise spent at a doctor’s office. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Opill in July 2023, and it will be available online starting Monday, March 18th and in stores in the coming weeks. Opill is safe and 98% effective at preventing pregnancy when used as directed.

Oral contraception will be easier to access thanks to the Biden administration’s efforts to protect and improve reproductive health care outcomes — a stark contrast to  conservatives’ continued attacks on family planning measures like abortion access and in-vitro fertilization. If these anti-abortion lawmakers get their way, birth control methods like Opill will be next. 

Opill puts reproductive rights back in women’s hands by eliminating the need for a prescription. A recent KFF survey found that more than one-third of oral contraceptive users missed a dose because they were unable to get their supply on time due to the need to see a doctor to renew or receive a prescription. Research shows that over-the-counter birth control can help those who have historically faced barriers to access, including young people, the uninsured, and those living in contraceptive deserts. 

At a time when conservatives are working to restrict reproductive freedom, reproductive rights advocates welcome the availability of Opill in pharmacies, as they keep fighting to protect and improve access to reproductive health care.  

“This is a historic day for my patients in rural Wisconsin and Minnesota, and anyone who has faced barriers in accessing the reproductive care they need,” said Dr. Kristin Lyerly, an OBGYN from Green Bay, Wisconsin. “I’m specifically thinking of one of my patients, a young woman who is at risk for developing uterine cancer, for whom I prescribed the birth control pill as preventative care. Due to barriers related to her insurance coverage, a month later she still has not been able to get her pills. With Opill, she will be able to go directly to the pharmacy and get them for herself.”

“I tried to be proactive about my reproductive future and access hormonal birth control, but I faced many barriers in getting the care I needed. This ultimately led to me becoming pregnant and being forced to travel over 700 miles out of my home state to access an abortion,” said DakotaRei Frausto, a college student and reproductive justice organizer from San Antonio Texas. “With birth control available over the counter, many of the hurdles I faced are removed, and people regardless of income, area, or insurance status will be able to access preventative and proactive reproductive healthcare.

“As a young service member, I was denied the ability to control my reproductive future,” said Joanna Sweatt, a Marine Corps veteran from Phoenix, Arizona. “Today, I’m celebrating the release of Opill at pharmacies across the country. Now, those of us who face unique challenges in accessing affordable reproductive health care, including service members, veterans, military spouses and dependents, will be able to get birth control on our terms.”

“This is a win for women's reproductive health and rights and a step towards women gaining autonomy over their bodies and their futures, thanks to the Biden administration’s hard work to stand up for our reproductive freedom,” said Suki O, an ultrasound technician at an abortion clinic in McDonough, Georgia. “Empowerment can come in the form of a pill.” 
“Access to birth control is an essential aspect of equitable reproductive health care and should be available and affordable for everyone,” said Ariana Traub, a medical student at Emory University School of Medicine and co-founder of Georgia Health Professionals for Reproductive Justice. “Since it does not require a prescription, insurance, or a visit to the doctor’s office, OTC Birth Control ensures patients have the capacity to navigate their reproductive health and shape their own futures.”

"Birth control access is a core tenet of reproductive justice and bodily autonomy. OTC birth control eliminates significant barriers for our patients to access this essential medication,” said Alenna Beroza, a third year medical student at the Medical College of Wisconsin.“Patients are no longer beholden to prescriptions, insurance companies and recurring doctor’s visits to control their bodies and with it, their futures. This is a huge step forward in gender equity and bodily autonomy!"

If you would like to interview one of these storytellers for a story, please email maggie@freeandjust.us

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About Free & Just

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.

Advocates Call on Congress to Protect Reproductive Freedom and Access to Abortion Care

Washington, D.C — Abortion storytellers with Free & Just traveled from Arizona, Louisiana, Texas, and Virginia to the nation’s capital this week to share their stories ahead of President Biden’s State of the Union address and highlight the harmful and severe human impacts of abortion bans. These storytellers joined the Pro-Choice Caucus alongside the Democratic Women’s Caucus and Whip Katherine Clark on Capitol Hill yesterday with providers, patients, and advocates to call on lawmakers to protect our reproductive freedom and fight for federal protections against Republican efforts to pass a strict nationwide abortion ban.

In his State of the Union address, President Biden emphasized his intent to protect reproductive rights, promising Americans that he would continue his fight to restore abortion protections as the nation approaches two years since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, which endangered the health of millions of Americans by restricting access to reproductive care in dozens of states across the country. 

First Lady Jill Biden sat with two women, Kate Cox and Latorya Beasley, who have suffered in the wake of state abortion restrictions that took effect after the fall of Roe, to emphasize the administration’s commitment to fighting these unpopular and dangerous bans.

Rohini Kousalya Siva, MD, MPH, MS, from Norfolk, VA watched President Biden’s address in person as a guest of Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03). Rohini is the president of the American Medical Student Association, and plans to practice obstetrics and gynecology. She regularly speaks about what the overturning of Roe means for medical students, the next generation of providers, and reproductive care.

“I was honored to join Congressman Scott as his guest at the State of the Union and to join together with so many fellow advocates to stand up for reproductive freedom,” said Dr. Rohini Kousalya Siva, future OBGYN and President of the American Medical Student Association. “Abortion is a vital aspect of comprehensive health care and no elected official should come between me and my patients in the exam room. Individuals should be given the dignity and respect to make their own decisions, in consultation with their trusted medical practitioners– without interference from politicians.” 

“Kate Cox’s story is familiar for too many Texans,” said DakotaRei Frausto of San Antonio, Texas. “I was forced to travel 11 hours and over 700 miles to New Mexico to receive my abortion after Texas’ medical and legislative negligence resulted in me pregnant. In the clinic waiting room, I spoke with patients who had also traveled from all over Texas to receive care – a journey no one should have to make. I realized I wasn’t alone in that waiting room and I’m so proud to stand with advocates and storytellers from across the country who have been harmed by abortion bans and refuse to let fallacious policies continue to harm the most vulnerable in our country.” 

“Conservatives have been attacking abortion rights and our bodily autonomy piece by piece for decades,” said Emma Burns from Flagstaff, Arizona who received a medication abortion as a college student. “Now conservatives are coming after medication abortion, which is the next step in their plan to completely ban abortion across the country. As angry as I am that we have to keep fighting for our rights, I am so inspired by the community of storytellers who gathered today to take collective action to protect our freedoms.” 

“I was proud to join with so many advocates today to stand up to attacks on our freedoms," said Professor Nicole Walker, who shared her story in an op-ed for the New York Times titled ‘My Abortion at 11 Wasn't a Choice. It Was My Life.’ “When we all come together and share our stories, our voices are amplified and we start to sound more like a chorus. We will speak out and not stand by while extremists in Congress continue to chip away at our freedoms.” 

“In my home state of Louisiana, due to the state’s abortion ban, my own doctors couldn’t even tell me what was happening to me or provide the care I needed while I was miscarrying,” said Kaitlyn Joshua of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. “That’s what Speaker Mike Johnson wants for women across the country – confusion, isolation, and fear, and we won’t stand for it. I was proud to speak out against attacks on our freedoms today and say no to a national abortion ban.”

If you would like to interview one of these storytellers for a story, please email maggie@freeandjust.us

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About Free & Just

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.

Free & Just Marks Would-Be 51st Anniversary of Roe v. Wade by Speaking Out Against Republican Attacks on Abortion

Washington, DC – Free & Just joined abortion storytellers, medical students , faith leaders, and elected officials to  mark the would-be 51st anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Roe v. Wade, stand up for reproductive freedom, and fight back against Republican attacks on abortion access nationwide. 

In Wisconsin, ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris’s visit to Wisconsin to kick off her national Reproductive Freedoms Tour, Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-04) and abortion storytellers and advocates joined Free & Just at Affiliated Medical Services in Milwaukee. Affiliated Medical Services was the only remaining independent abortion clinic in the state and served patients for three decades before it was forced to close shortly after the Dobbs decision restricted women’s reproductive freedoms and banned abortion across the state. You can watch the event here.

“I too have had an abortion, and I had an abortion before Roe v. Wade. And I know what it means to try to hustle up the money and have to travel to get an abortion,” said Congresswoman Gwen Moore, who shared her own personal abortion story after Roe v. Wade was overturned. “Back then, it may have been a million dollars in my mind in terms of the effort that it took me to be able to do that.”

“I used to be a labor and delivery nurse for about a decade and provided later pregnancy abortion care for patients. And then I found myself in 2016 becoming a later-in-pregnancy abortion patient before the overturning of Roe v Wade,” said Jennifer Vollstedt, former labor and delivery nurse and personal abortion storyteller who received a fatal chromosomal abnormality diagnosis at 18 weeks pregnant. “At the time, I thought this was a right that was guaranteed for patients, and I did not think this was something that was threatened. I received the type of abortion that every patient across this country deserves to have access to should they need an abortion.”

Watch the event here. Read the full event press release here. 

In Arizona, abortion advocates, storytellers, and students joined Free & Just outside Rep. Juan Ciscomani’s (AZ-06) office for a rally to hold him accountable for his ongoing attacks on abortion and reproductive freedom. Rep. Ciscomani, who applauded the reversal of Roe and supports Arizona’s 15-week abortion ban, has voted repeatedly to restrict access to abortion, including for legislation that would limit access to safe abortion medication. You can watch the event here.

“As we commemorate what would have been the 51st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, I’m forced to reckon with the grave reality that now my daughter has fewer rights than I did at her age,” said Sylvia Gonzalez Andersh, an Air Force Veteran and a constituent of Rep. Juan Ciscomani who shared her personal story of receiving an abortion while on active duty in the 70s, just five years after the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. “Because of the Roe ruling, I had the freedom to decide my future – a freedom I’ve lived to see both granted and taken away…if extreme Republicans like Juan Ciscomani get their way, my daughter will completely lose her right to make the same decisions I had the freedom to make, just like my mother before her.” Read more of Sylvia’s story in the Arizona Daily Star. 

“How unfair that we have to stand up here fighting for rights that you fought so hard for 50 years ago. It’s outrageous that we still have to fight to have bodily autonomy and receive the medical care we need, said Emma Burns, a recent graduate of Northern Arizona University and organizer with the Arizona Students Association who shared her own abortion story following Sylvia. “Receiving my abortion allowed me to continue my life. It allowed me to graduate college and it allowed me to hope for the future… when you deny young people access to abortion care you are signing their death sentences.”  Read more of Emma’s story in the Arizona Mirror.

Watch the event here. Read the full event press release here.

Free & Just also released a new TV ad that calls out Members of Congress for their extremist, dangerous anti-abortion agenda and efforts to further ban and restrict abortion access across the country. The ad features abortion storyteller Emma Burns who spoke out at the rally outside of Rep. Ciscomani’s office. 

The TV ad is part of a six-figure ad buy to amplify the voices of people who have been impacted by the overturning of Roe and the proliferation of harmful anti-abortion laws in Arizona and across the country.

The ad is running on broadcast in Arizona’s 6th congressional district, Nebraska’s 2nd congressional district, and Wisconsin’s 3rd congressional district from Monday, January 22 through Friday, January 26, 2024.

Watch the Ad Here.

See additional coverage of the events in Arizona and Wisconsin below:

Arizona

• KMSB-TV (Fox Tucson): Abortion Advocates March in Arizona, Gather in Tucson to Hold Rep. Ciscomani Accountable for his Attacks on Abortion | January 20, 2024

• KOLD-TV (CBS Tucson): Abortion Advocates March in Arizona, Gather to Hold Rep. Ciscomani Accountable for His Attacks on Abortion January 20, 2024

• KVOA-TV (NBC-Tucson): Advocates Rally Outside Rep. Ciscomani's Office Ahead of Roe Anniversary | January 20, 2024

• Blog for Arizona: Abortion Activists Rail Against CiscoMAGA and Republican Extremists | January 21, 2024

• Tucson Agenda | The Daily Agenda | January 22, 2024

• Arizona Daily Star op-ed by Sylvia Gonzalez Anderish: Three generations of women, three sets of rights | January 20, 2024

Wisconsin

• CBS58 (CBS Milwaukee): 'Women's rights are human rights:' Wisconsin leaders, pro-choice advocates hold abortion access rally ahead of VP Harris' visit Monday | January 21, 2024

• WTMJ4 (NBC Milwaukee): Ahead of VP Visit, Democrats Rally in Milwaukee to Oppose National Abortion Ban

• WUWM-FM (Milwaukee’s NPR): Vice President Harris will emphasize abortion rights during a visit to Wisconsin

If you’re interested in speaking with any of the event’s participants, please email maggie@freeandjust.us

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About Free & Just

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. Follow Free & Just on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

NEW TV AD: “The attacks haven’t stopped”: Abortion Advocate Emma Burns Calls Out Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans for Their Extremist Anti-Abortion Agenda

Ad will air in markets targeting Reps. Juan Ciscomani (AZ-6), Don Bacon (NE-2), and Derrick Van Orden (WI-3) for their support of harmful abortion bans and restrictions

Watch the Ad Here.

Washington, DC — Today, on the 51st anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, Free & Just released a new TV ad that calls out Republicans for their extremist, anti-abortion agenda and efforts to further ban and restrict abortion access across the country. The ad features recent college graduate Emma Burns, who received a medication abortion as a student in Arizona despite the state’s burdensome restrictions. Now, In the wake of the reversal of the Roe v. Wade decision, Republicans, like Representatives Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), Don Bacon (NE-02), and Derrick Van Orden (WI-03) are working to further restrict access to abortion and ultimately ban abortion nationwide. And later this year, the same Supreme Court that overturned Roe is hearing a case that could make it much more difficult to access medication abortion across the country. 

The ad follows a rally held over the weekend in front of Rep. Juan Ciscomani’s district office where abortion advocates, including Emma, held Rep. Ciscomani and Republican lawmakers accountable for their ongoing attacks on abortion.

“Taking away a woman’s right to access an abortion, a right that had been protected for nearly fifty years, was just the first step in Republicans’ plans to restrict freedom by enacting a nationwide abortion ban,” said Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaign Director at Free & Just. “As we recognize what would be the 51st anniversary of the Roe decision that established those protections for women, we are faced with escalating attacks on our fundamental freedoms. It’s more clear than ever that we need federal legislation to protect abortion access."

The TV ad is part of a six-figure advocacy campaign to amplify the voices of people who have been impacted by the overturning of Roe and the proliferation of harmful anti-abortion laws across the country.

The ad will run on broadcast in Arizona’s 6th congressional district, Nebraska’s 2nd congressional district, and Wisconsin’s 3rd congressional district from Monday, January 22 through Friday, January 26, 2024.

If you’re interested in speaking with Emma Burns or someone at Free & Just, please email maggie@freeandjust.us.

Ad Script:

As a student, an abortion was the right decision for me

But the Supreme Court took that right away from us

A right we had for nearly 50 years

And the attacks haven’t stopped

Extremists in Washington are trying to put care like I received out of reach

And politicians like Congressman Ciscomani/Bacon/Van Orden are trying to ban abortion nationwide

We have to stand up for our freedoms now

Because these should only be our decisions to make

This is a fight for our futures

Stop Speaker Mike Johnson’s extreme plan to ban abortion

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About Free & Just

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. Follow Free & Just on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

On the Eve of Vice President Harris’s Visit, Congresswoman Gwen Moore and Advocates Gather at Closed Abortion Clinic

“Every woman is exceptional and has her own life’s course and the only solution for us as Congresswomen and Congressmen is to mind our own business.” -Congresswoman Gwen Moore

*Watch the event here*  *Photos here*

Milwaukee, WI – Today, on the eve of Vice President Kamala Harris’s visit to Milwaukee to kick off her national Reproductive Freedoms Tour and the 51st anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Roe v. Wade, Congresswoman Gwen Moore and abortion storytellers and advocates joined Free & Just at Affiliated Medical Services in Milwaukee. Affiliated Medical Services was the only remaining independent abortion clinic in the state and served patients for three decades before it was forced to close shortly after the Dobbs decision restricted women’s reproductive freedoms and banned abortion across the state.

While abortion care has resumed in parts of Wisconsin, Affiliated Medical Services remains closed, and the attacks on our freedoms haven’t stopped. Wisconsin Republicans are planning to introduce yet another extreme abortion ban on the Roe v. Wade anniversary, and national Republicans recently elected a Speaker of the House who has championed legislation to ban abortion nationwide and celebrated the fall of Roe v. Wade. These abortion bans have prevented Wisconsin providers from giving care to their patients that they desperately want and need, even in dangerous and life-threatening situations. And the number of abortions in Illinois is rising as people are forced to travel out of state to receive the care they need.

“I too have had an abortion, and I had an abortion before Roe v. Wade. And I know what it means to try to hustle up the money and have to travel to get an abortion,” said Congresswoman Gwen Moore, who shared her own personal abortion story after Roe v. Wade was overturned. “Back then, it may have been a million dollars in my mind in terms of the effort that it took me to be able to do that.”

“We hear all these people claim that they love children so much, but they have no compassion for those children like Jenn’s child who would die in the womb. They have no compassion for a 10-year-old who’s been raped.” Congresswoman Moore continued, referencing anti-abortion politicians and their continued attacks on reproductive freedoms. “Which gets us to the topic of exceptions – every woman is exceptional. Every woman is exceptional and has her own life’s course, and the only solution for us as Congresswomen and Congressmen is to mind our own business.”

“I used to be a labor and delivery nurse for about a decade and provided later pregnancy abortion care for patients. And then I found myself in 2016 becoming a later-in-pregnancy abortion patient before the overturning of Roe v Wade,” said Jennifer Vollstedt, former labor and delivery nurse and personal abortion storyteller who received a fatal chromosomal abnormality diagnosis at 18 weeks pregnant. “At the time, I thought this was a right that was guaranteed for patients, and I did not think this was something that was threatened. I received the type of abortion that every patient across this country deserves to have access to should they need an abortion.”

“With a lot of guidance and counseling from my providers, and because of my previous experience in providing abortion care for patients under similar circumstances, this became a really easy decision for me,” Jennifer Vollstedt continued, becoming emotional, saying, “I knew I didn’t want my baby to suffer and I knew that I didn’t want to risk my future fertility or my life.”

“I don’t often like to talk about the specific circumstances of my abortion because I think it’s too complex, and it’s very easy to look at what I went through and boil it down to ‘with exceptions’” Jennifer Vollstedt continued, referencing debunked “exceptions” that patients often can’t access when they need care. “I truly think that any restrictions and bans on abortions are too black and white and put people in danger. We need to be trusted in this country to make these decisions for our own bodies.”

“The people who have abortions are rich, and they’re poor, and they’re Democrats, and they’re Republicans,” said Reverend Denise Cawley, a Unitarian Minister and former abortion clinic chaplain. “And every single ban and restriction on abortion, including the latest one I’m hearing about here in Wisconsin – every one of them affects real people.”

“There has been one thing that has stood out the most to me: people in our state of Wisconsin do not know what they can and cannot do with their bodies,” said Alenna Beroza, a medical student and future OBGYN, talking about her time serving in clinics and as a Pregnancy Options Wisconsin phone line volunteer. “These laws have made people confused and scared, from providers to patients. People do not know what they can share with their doctor, they do not know where they can turn with questions, and they do not know what is safe and unsafe.”

“As a female medical student interested in a career in OBGYN, these laws have been life shattering,” Alenna Beroza continued. “I am training to become a health care provider, and I attend school and live in a state where my values, my body, and my health care are at risk. There is no debate. Abortion is essential health care.”

You can watch the event here and photos from the event can be found here.

If you’re interested in speaking with any of the event’s participants, please email ashley@freeandjust.us

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About Free & Just

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. Follow Free & Just on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Advocates Speak Out Against Rep. Ciscomani’s Attacks on Abortion ahead of 51st Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

*Watch the event here*

Tucson, AZ – Today, ahead of the 51st anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Roe v. Wade, abortion advocates, storytellers, and students joined Free & Just outside Rep. Juan Ciscomani’s (AZ-06) office to hold him accountable for his ongoing attacks on abortion and reproductive freedom. Rep. Ciscomani, who applauded the reversal of Roe and supports Arizona’s 15-week abortion ban, has voted repeatedly to restrict access to abortion, including for legislation that would limit access to safe abortion medication. 

Republicans in Arizona have been waging a war against abortion access in the state, enacting harmful restrictions that make receiving abortion care burdensome and difficult. In the wake of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Org., nearly all clinics in Arizona stopped providing abortion services, leaving the only seven remaining clinics in the state operating at a reduced capacity under former Republican Governor Doug Ducey’s extreme abortion ban. Now, the state Supreme Court is considering reinstating a near-total ban from 1864. 

“As we commemorate what would have been the 51st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, I’m forced to reckon with the grave reality that now my daughter has fewer rights than I did at her age,” said Sylvia Gonzalez Andersh, an Air Force Veteran and a constituent of Rep. Juan Ciscomani who shared her personal story of receiving an abortion while on active duty in the 70s, just five years after the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. “Because of the Roe ruling, I had the freedom to decide my future – a freedom I’ve lived to see both granted and taken away…if extreme Republicans like Juan Ciscomani get their way, my daughter will completely lose her right to make the same decisions I had the freedom to make, just like my mother before her.” Read more of Sylvia’s story in the Arizona Daily Star.

“How unfair that we have to stand up here fighting for rights that you fought so hard for 50 years ago. It’s outrageous that we still have to fight to have bodily autonomy and receive the medical care we need, said Emma Burns, a recent graduate of Northern Arizona University and organizer with the Arizona Students Association who shared her own abortion story following Sylvia. “Receiving my abortion allowed me to continue my life. It allowed me to graduate college and it allowed me to hope for the future… when you deny young people access to abortion care you are signing their death sentences.”  Read more of Emma’s story in the Arizona Mirror. 

“Abortion is health care. Abortion is a human right,” said Kyle Nitschke, Co-Executive Director of the Arizona Students' Association. “When our congressmen are trying to take away our freedoms around health care, our freedoms to live without gun violence, our freedoms to travel safely in between borders, we need to hold them accountable.” 

Speakers also included Katie Woodall, an activist with Moms Demand Action and survivor of the Las Vegas Route 91 Shooting, and students from the University of Arizona who called out Rep. Ciscomani for his failures on gun safety and immigration. 

You can watch the event here.

If you’re interested in speaking with any of the event’s participants, please email maggie@freeandjust.us

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About Free & Just

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. Follow Free & Just on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.