Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Local Patient Advocates Mark Would-Be Roe Anniversary, Warn of Coming Attacks on Reproductive Freedom

For Immediate Release

January 22, 2025 

Contact: Kelly Rimar kelly@freeandjust.us 

MADISON, WI – Today, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and local patient advocates joined Free & Just to mark what would be the 52nd anniversary of the landmark decision in Roe v. Wade, which enshrined the right to legal abortion for nearly 50 years. In June 2022, the Supreme Court stripped away the right to safe and legal abortion, ending half a century of precedent and robbing millions of people of the freedom to make their own decisions about their families, futures, and lives. In the years since, attacks on reproductive freedom have escalated, and women across the country have lost their lives as a result of abortion bans and restrictions.

 Stripping away the freedoms Roe protected was just the first step in extremists' anti-abortion playbook. Today, Republican officials remain committed to banning abortion nationwide, and they will use any tool at their disposal to do it – even though it remains widely unpopular. 

 “Our country faces a patchwork of laws, regulations, and oppression. And we know that women are dying because of that patchwork. We know that lives are changed, not for the better, because of that patchwork,” said Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, a fierce advocate for reproductive freedom who has pledged to protect both patients and providers in Madison. “The guardrails have come off. We are under attack. Our rights are under attack. Our bodily autonomy is under attack.” 

“Here in Wisconsin, we still have to do the work. We still have people who are afraid of what is happening next,” said Dana Pellebon, who serves as the Executive Director of RCC Sexual Violence Resource Center in Dane County. “The current administration is determined to keep their laws on our bodies. We cannot let this happen. It is important that all of us stand up and say ‘reproductive choice and reproductive freedom is an inalienable right to us, here in our nation.’ When we talk about freedom, bodily autonomy is the freedom we are talking about.”

“We can no longer take for granted the shoulders we have stood on for so long – the victories of our mothers and grandmothers. Your rights are now being charted by someone who has no connection to the liberty and freedom we fought for generations to achieve,” said Ali Muldrow, the Executive Director of Women’s Medical Fund Wisconsin. “The role of government is to remove barriers, not create them.”

“We’ve got to face our new realities. And the reality is, Trump and other Republican lawmakers are only increasing their attacks on abortion access and reproductive care,” said Rory Madden, Chair of Sex Out Loud at UW-Madison, which provides the extended campus community access to comprehensive sex education. “Being a college student right now means navigating a landscape where every decision we make – from what classes to take to what career we want to pursue – is impacted by the uncertainty around reproductive rights.”

“Over the years I’ve counseled women, pregnant people, and their families. They’ve often come to me for counseling because they are having a crisis of faith, because the overwhelming message that they are receiving from the religious community is that abortion is wrong,” said Reverend Tim Schaefer with the First Baptist Church of Madison and is a member of the Wisconsin Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Reverend Schaefer urged his fellow Wisconsinites to show one another compassion as attacks on reproductive freedom escalate. “If you have ever had an abortion, if you have ever considered an abortion, if you’re considering an abortion – you are loved.”

If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants in the press event, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. 

Learn more about how Republican officials plan to restrict reproductive freedom here.

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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.

Ahead of Would-Be Roe Anniversary, Congresswoman Nikema Williams and Mother of Amber Nicole Thurman Join Patients and Providers Discuss Ongoing Attacks on Reproductive Freedom

For Immediate Release

January 21, 2025 

Contact: Kelly Rimar kelly@freeandjust.us  

**WATCH THE EVENT HERE** 

GEORGIA – Today, Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05), and Shanette Williams, whose daughter Amber Nicole Thurman, lost her life as a result of Georgia’s abortion ban, joined patient storytellers and providers to mark what would be the 52nd anniversary of the landmark decision in Roe v. Wade, which enshrined the right to legal abortion for nearly 50 years. In June 2022, the Supreme Court stripped away the right to safe and legal abortion, ending half a century of precedent and robbing millions of people of the freedom to make their own decisions about their families, futures, and lives. In the years since, attacks on reproductive freedom have escalated, and women across the country have lost their lives as a result of abortion bans and restrictions.

 Stripping away the freedoms Roe protected was just the first step in extremists' anti-abortion playbook. Today, Republican officials remain committed to banning abortion nationwide, and they will use any tool at their disposal to do it – even though it remains widely unpopular.  

 “I refuse to stand by while extremist politicians attack our freedoms, our health, and our future,” said Congresswoman Nikema Williams, who represents Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District and warned that the new administration plans to restrict abortion rights further. “Reproductive freedom is about health care, it’s about dignity, it’s about autonomy. It’s about ensuring that everyone, every person, has the ability to make the best decisions for themselves and their families without government interference.”

“She left a son, who every day is confused by why his mother is not here,” said Shanette Williams, whose daughter Amber Nicole Thurman lost her life in Georgia after being denied medical care. “I’m here to be that voice, to fight, to push, to do whatever I need to do to help save another life. Because I never want a mother to feel what I feel today. We cannot quit. We cannot be silent. If we quit, we lose more women.” In November, following reporting from ProPublica, officials in Georgia dismissed all members of the state’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee, which investigates the deaths of pregnant women across the state.

“I could have been Amber Nicole Thurman,” said Avery Davis Bell, a mother from Savannah who was forced to travel out-of-state for care after her baby was diagnosed with fatal chromosomal anomalies that threatened Avery’s own life. “It is important for me to continue sharing my story and advocating for us to be able to build the families we want, protect our lives, and be here for our living children.”

“The ban has been in place for three years now and it doesn’t get any easier. To turn women away is the hardest thing for me to do,” said Suki O., an ultrasound technician and abortion care provider in the Atlanta area. Reflecting on the loss of Amber Nicole Thurman, Suki shared her concerns that women in Georgia and across the country will continue to die, and asked “How many Black women will die, have died, and will continue to die due to these abortion bans?”

“I was hospitalized ten times in ten weeks,” said Callie Beale Harper, who was forced to travel out-of-state for care when one of her twins was diagnosed with severe fetal abnormalities. Harper described her commitment to standing up to attacks on access to reproductive care that leave women in Georgia and across the country vulnerable. “Because of the risk to our lives and the trauma that I had to endure at an already difficult time, I stand for women like me who were played by the system in place, and had my life and my daughter’s life put in jeopardy due to these laws.”

“This is not just a women’s issue, this is a man’s issue as well,” said Davan’te Jennings, President of Young Democrats of Georgia and Youth Organizing Director at Men4Choice, an organization dedicated to educating and engaging young men in the fight for reproductive justice. Jennings urged men across the country to pay attention to the attacks coming from the new administration and extremist lawmakers. “I want to send a clear message to men to get off the sidelines and enter the fight for reproductive justice. What would it look like for you to have to watch your mother go through this? To watch your sister go through this?” 

If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants in the press event, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. 

You can watch the virtual press event here, and learn more about how Republican officials plan to restrict reproductive freedom here.

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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.

Ahead of Would-Be Anniversary of Landmark Roe v. Wade Decision, Women Who Sued Texas Over State’s Abortion Ban and Patient Advocates Warn of Coming Attacks on Reproductive Freedom

For Immediate Release

January 21, 2025 

Contact: Kelly Rimar kelly@freeandjust.us  

**WATCH THE EVENT HERE**

TEXAS – Today,  Amanda Zurawski, Samantha Casiano, and Ryan Hamilton joined Free & Just to mark what would be the 52nd anniversary of the landmark decision in Roe v. Wade, which enshrined the right to legal abortion for nearly 50 years. In June 2022, the Supreme Court stripped away the right to safe and legal abortion, ending half a century of precedent and robbing millions of people of the freedom to make their own decisions about their families, futures, and lives. In the years since, attacks on reproductive freedom have escalated, and women across the country have lost their lives as a result of abortion bans and restrictions.

 Stripping away the freedoms Roe protected was just the first step in extremists' anti-abortion playbook. Today, Republican officials remain committed to banning abortion nationwide, and they will use any tool at their disposal to do it – even though it remains widely unpopular.  

 “Extremists are going out of their way to make sure the stories of people like my wife are kept quiet,” said Ryan Hamilton, whose wife nearly died after experiencing a miscarriage in Texas, where laws passed by anti-abortion extremists limit access to medical care. Reflecting on ProPublica’s reporting on the preventable deaths of women who lost their lives as a result of Texas’ abortion ban, Hamilton pledged to continue sharing his family’s story and standing up to attacks on reproductive freedom. “We have to continue to tell and use our stories. My anger has purpose, and I’m going to use it.”

“I asked my doctor what my options were, and she told me I didn’t have any, because in the state of Texas, we have an abortion ban,” said Samantha Casiano, a mother of four who was forced to give birth to her daughter, Halo in 2023, despite knowing that she would survive just a few painful hours. “People assume that so-called ‘exceptions’ to the ban help people like me. I was not an exception. That’s why I continue to speak about this, because  together we can make a change, and together we can make sure people know that this is real.”

“I was denied care because of the ban in Texas, and was told that I had to wait until I met the one medical exception in our state which is the life of the mother. So I was either waiting for the baby’s heart to stop, or waiting until I got so sick that I deserved care,” said  Amanda Zurawski, who went into septic shock twice and nearly lost her life after being denied an abortion in 2022. Zurawski sued the state of Texas, but her challenge was rejected by the state’s Supreme Court in a devastating blow to patients across Texas. Still, Zurawski pledged to continue spotlighting the deathly consequences of abortion bans: “In this new political landscape, what I want people to understand is that this fight is not over. This work is not done. I am not going anywhere.”

If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants in the press event, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. 

You can watch the virtual press event here, and learn more about how Republican officials plan to restrict reproductive freedom here.

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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 DATA: Nearly 60% of Battleground Voters Oppose Abortion Restrictions, Including Trump Supporters

For Immediate Release

December 10, 2024 

Contact: Kelly Rimar kelly@freeandjust.us 

Success of Trump and Republicans in Congress should not be mistaken as support for further restrictions on abortion

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, new data from Navigator Research is shedding light on the role abortion played in the 2024 presidential election and in key Senate races across the country. The research, conducted among voters across the presidential battleground states, confirms that abortion is broadly popular with Americans, and makes clear that banning abortion, or using existing laws to further restrict abortion access nationwide are deeply unpopular positions – even among Trump voters.

According to the new research, nearly 60% of voters across the battleground support legal abortion including nearly 40% of those who voted for Trump and the Republican Senate candidate. These findings send a clear message to Trump and Republican lawmakers: Americans, including those responsible for their victories, will not tolerate further attacks on abortion access and reproductive freedom. 

“This data confirms that abortion access and reproductive freedom are popular issues and supported by the majority of Americans,” said Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just. “Now more than ever, it’s critical that abortion storytellers share how abortion bans harm women and families across the country. We have to tell the truth about how attacks targeting everything from access to medication abortion to IVF treatment hurt families and upend lives. That is why Free & Just is committed to amplifying stories that counter misinformation and spotlight the real consequences of attacks on access to abortion and reproductive health care.” 

The new research also reinforces the power of storytellers, whose courage in sharing their own experiences with abortion and reproductive health care helped educate and motivate voters in their communities. According to the new data, 52% of voters who supported state-level ballot initiatives to protect, restore, and expand abortion access said their decision to vote for these measures was impacted by women they know. 

Storytelling is a powerful tool to help people across the country understand how attacks on abortion and access to reproductive care unravel lives, and put people in impossible, sometimes life-threatening situations. With new, increasingly vicious attacks on reproductive freedom on the horizon, it is more important than ever that we amplify the stories of people and communities affected by these attacks. 

Patients, providers, and abortion rights advocates who spent the year working with Free & Just to share their stories and stand up to attacks on reproductive freedom released statements in response to the new research findings. 

“Sharing my story was difficult at first, and it can be painful to relive the loss of my son Connor,” said Gracie Ladd, an oncology nurse from Nashotah, Wisconsin who was forced to travel out of state for abortion care after receiving a devastating fetal diagnosis at 20-weeks pregnant. “Still, I knew it was important to talk about what I went through and to spotlight the sweeping and devastating impacts of attacks on abortion. Every time I share my story, I am honoring Connor and helping people think differently about abortion. I know that there is a lot of work ahead, but I believe in the power of storytelling and I will continue to help others understand how dangerous attacks on reproductive freedom are.”

Gracie shared her abortion story publicly for the first time as part of Free & Just’s Ride to Decide Bus Tour for reproductive freedom over the summer. In September, Gracie testified about her experience traveling out-of-state for abortion care before the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. 

“I have found my home in the abortion care community, and I am incredibly proud to work with so many brave patients, providers, and advocates,” said Suki O, an ultrasound technician in the Atlanta area, who has spoken publicly about her work to help patients navigate Georgia’s 6-week abortion ban. “I am heartbroken, but I know that this community will continue to support each other and work together to show just how dangerous attacks on access to abortion are.”

Suki joined Gracie Ladd at the September hearing before the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, where she mourned the deaths of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller, who lost their lives as a result of Georgia’s harsh abortion ban.

“I’ve spent the last month grieving and doing my best to prepare for what’s to come as anti-abortion extremists look for new ways to attack abortion access and reproductive freedom,” said Emma Burns from Flagstaff, Arizona who navigated a provider shortage, mandatory waiting periods, and other barriers when she needed abortion care as a college student. “At the same time, I know that sharing my abortion story has helped people in my community understand the harms of these attacks, and I am hopeful that we can continue to educate and engage people who don’t see themselves in this issue.” 

In October, Burns graciously lent her story to Free & Just for the development of the “Road After Roe,” an Oregon Trail-inspired experience that challenges users to navigate the real-life, and often dangerous barriers to abortion and reproductive care.

If you are interested in speaking with the pollsters who led this research, patients and advocates who shared their experiences throughout this election cycle, or experts about what’s at stake for abortion access and reproductive freedom in 2025, 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 futures.

Kaitlyn Joshua to Join Local Artists and Reproductive Freedom Advocates at Art Market Hosted by Free & Just in New Orleans

**MEDIA ADVISORY FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2024 AT 1:30PM CT**

“Artists for Abortion Access” event series comes to New Orleans o spotlight Local artists demanding reproductive freedom 

New Orleans, LA  –– On Monday, October 14 from 1-5pm CT, Free & Just will host an art market featuring local creatives in New Orleans as part of its “Artists for Abortion Access” event series. Free & Just is partnering with local artists, advocates, and leaders in communities across the country who are standing up to attacks on abortion access and reproductive freedom. From concerts featuring local musicians, to art markets where local creatives can sell their goods, “Artists for Abortion Access” will spotlight community and cultural leaders and create space for real people impacted by abortion bans and ongoing attacks on reproductive freedom to share their stories. 

At 1:30pm CT, Kaitlyn Joshua and others will offer brief remarks highlighting how attacks on reproductive freedom harm women and families in Louisiana and across the country.

“Artists for Abortion Access” comes as attacks on all types of reproductive health care, including abortion care, IVF treatment, and birth control, continue to escalate nationwide. Despite their rhetoric, anti-abortion extremists have made it painfully clear that they will stop at nothing to restrict our freedom to make decisions about our lives and families. With “Artists for Abortion Access,” Free & Just is setting the record straight and amplifying the experiences of people harmed by these attacks. 

Join Free & Just on Monday to shop from local artists, connect with storytellers, and learn more about what’s at stake for women and families across the country.

WHO:

Kaitlyn Joshua, Community Organizer for the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice

and patient storyteller who was denied emergency care in Louisiana 

Nancy Davis, patient storyteller who was forced to travel out-of-state for abortion care 

Counsel for the Louisiana State Conference of the NAACP

Bree Anderson, Co-Founder of A’sani Heartbeat Foundation

Tyler Barbarin, Director of Grants and Development at the Louisiana Abortion Fund

Local storytellers, artists, and advocates 

WHAT: Art market featuring local artists, storytellers, and advocates

WHEN: Monday, October 14 from 1-5pm CT

Brief speaking program at 1:30pm CT

WHERE: Please RSVP to kelly@freeandjust.us for address and additional event details 

Free & Just Announces “Artists for Abortion Access” Event Series to Spotlight Local Artists and Advocates Demanding Reproductive Freedom Across the Country

Free & Just is proud to present our next event series featuring local artists from cities across the country. Artists for Abortion Access is spotlighting creatives who work to support and defend reproductive freedom and abortion access in their communities as we come together to fight a national abortion ban.

Find more information on this activation here.

Free & Just Condemns Extremists’ Exploitation of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller’s Tragic Deaths in Ongoing Attacks on Medication Abortion

Despite Ongoing Disinformation Campaigns, Medication Abortion Remains a Safe and Proven Option for Women

WASHINGTON, DC –– Tomorrow, September 28, marks the twenty-fourth anniversary of the Food and Drug Administration's approval of medication abortion in the United States. For nearly a quarter of a century, access to safe, effective medication abortion care has been essential to ensuring people’s freedom to make decisions about their bodies based on what’s best for their circumstances. Mifepristone is a safe, effective FDA-approved medication used for early abortion and is now used in more than half of all abortions. Mifepristone is also recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) for use in miscarriage management. If left untreated, miscarriage can put women at risk for severe infection, infertility, or even death.

Medication abortion is overwhelmingly popular with Americans, accounting for over half of all abortions in the United States. New data from Navigator Research finds that 62% of Americans support allowing women to legally access medication abortion to end an early pregnancy at home. Still, anti-abortion extremists are committed to restricting access to all types of reproductive health care, including medication abortion.

From baseless legal challenges and efforts to manipulate an obscure law from the 1800s to restrict access to medication abortion, extremists across the country are finding new and vicious ways to roll back our rights even further. Some have gone so far as to exploit the tragic deaths of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller, who lost their lives as a result of Georgia’s harsh abortion ban, which left both women without timely access to medical care.

Ahead of the twenty fourth anniversary of the FDA’s approval of medication abortion, health care providers from Georgia released statements responding to the latest attacks from anti-abortion extremists.  

“Misoprostol and mifepristone are safe and effective, and a reliable option for many patients – these medications are also standard of care for treating miscarriages,” said Dr. Juhi Varshney, an emergency medicine physician in Atlanta. “What is unsafe is delaying or denying care to patients in need. Amber and Candi should be alive today. The extremists spreading misinformation about their tragic deaths and the safety of medication abortion are putting more lives at risk.”

“After the deaths of Amber and Candi, my anxiety is even worse. I worry for every single patient that I refer to the hospital,” said Suki O, an ultrasound technician in the Atlanta area who testified before the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee earlier this week about the dangers of abortion bans. 

“Medication abortion is safe – extremist politicians intervening in medical treatment is not,” said Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just. “The extremists seeking to capitalize on the horrific deaths of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller and spreading dangerous misinformation about medication abortion are being reckless, cruel, and dishonest. As we mark the twenty-fourth anniversary of the FDA’s approval of medication abortion, we must continue to amplify the stories of real people affected by these attacks and be clear about what’s at stake right now for abortion access and reproductive freedom.”

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.

Patients and Providers from Wisconsin and Georgia Spotlight Harms of Abortion Bans and Attacks on Reproductive Freedom at Congressional Hearing on Project 2025

WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, two women whose lives have been upended by attacks on abortion access and reproductive freedom traveled to Washington to share their stories with the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee at a hearing on Project 2025 and what’s at stake for communities across the country. 

Project 2025 lays bare what conservatives and extremists plan to do next on abortion and reproductive freedom. These plans include using federal power to ban abortion nationwide and restrict access to contraception, reversing FDA approval of the abortion pill mifepristone, which is used in about half of US abortions, requiring states where abortion access is legally protected to report when patients travel from out of state for care, and prohibiting “embryonic research” which could put access to IVF treatment at risk.

At the hearing, Gracie Ladd, an oncology nurse from Nashotah, Wisconsin shared how she was forced to travel out of state for abortion care earlier this year when she learned that her son, Connor, was developing without a bladder or functioning kidneys, and had several serious heart defects that meant he would not survive more than a few minutes if she carried the pregnancy to term. Out of love and compassion for their son, Gracie and her husband chose to terminate the pregnancy, sparing Connor suffering. 

Gracie described feeling angry that attacks on access to abortion in Wisconsin meant she had to travel out of state for medical care, and frustrated that lawmakers who would never know her or understand her situation had so much power over her experience.

“I’m angry that I had to drive to Chicago for care with a medical team I had never met, for a procedure that took two days and was quite literally the worst two days of my life. I’m angry that although I could take the time off of work, could find childcare for my living son, and afford to make the drive to another state, not all women can. But mostly, I’m angry that people who weren’t in that ultrasound room with me while I received the news that tore my world apart get to decide whether or not the medical choice on how to best move forward is not mine to make.”

Gracie also warned that if anti-abortion extremists get their way, people like her would have an even harder time accessing the care they need.

“Today I’m here to share that I’m angry because if Republicans get their way and pass Project 2025’s national abortion ban, I wouldn’t have even had the freedom to leave my state for the health care that is my right to receive.”

Suki O, an ultrasound technician in the Atlanta area who helps people seeking abortion care described finding “her home” in the abortion care community, but grew emotional when discussing the deaths of fellow Georgia women Amber Thurman and Candi Miller, who lost their lives as a result of the state’s harsh abortion ban. 

“Amber's death hit me hard as she was a part of my community. A community that I've called home for 22 years. She died in a hospital where I've worked and a place where I watched my grandson be born. If these bans hadn't been put in place I might have been the person to perform Amber or Candi’s ultrasound. I might have been able to make them smile, give them a hug or listen to them tell me thank you. How many more Black women have to die or have died as a result of abortion bans?”

Suki shared that in her role as an ultrasound technician, she wears many hats and often finds herself comforting patients who have received devastating news about their pregnancy and are faced with few “options” thanks to Georgia’s restrictive abortion laws.

“I'm tired of seeing women being forced to travel out of state to have an abortion. I'm tired of wiping away tears after being forced to tell women they are too far along under Georgia’s abortion ban. These women deserve to have autonomy over their bodies to make decisions that are best for them.”

If you are interested in speaking with Gracie Ladd or Suki O. about their testimony, their experiences, or what’s at stake for abortion access and reproductive freedom, 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.

Free & Just Statement on the Preventable Deaths of Georgia Mothers Amber Thurman and Candi Miller

WASHINGTON, DC – This week, ProPublica reported on the preventable deaths of two mothers from Georgia, Amber Thurman and Candi Miller, who lost their lives as a result of the state’s harsh abortion ban. Details included in reports from Georgia’s maternal mortality review committee, which investigates pregnancy-related deaths in the state, confirm that both women’s deaths were preventable, and the result of limited access to timely medical care. 

In Georgia, abortion is banned after 6 weeks, and while extremists attempt to hide behind the so-called “exceptions” that could allow women experiencing medical emergencies to receive care, the deaths of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller confirm that emergency exceptions create confusion for doctors and patients and don’t work when people need to access care. 

Today, Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just released the following statement in response to the new reporting: 

“The tragic loss of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller is heartbreaking, and we extend our deepest condolences to their families and the communities grieving their deaths. Georgia’s leaders failed these women, who deserved better from our country. Abortion bans are deadly, and we know that Amber and Candi’s families are not alone. People across the country are enduring devastating loss and fear because of ongoing attacks on access to reproductive health care, and there is no excuse for the trauma inflicted on these families. We must tell the truth about what life is like for women and families in post-Roe America, and be clear about what’s at stake as anti-abortion extremists find new and cruel ways to attack our reproductive freedom.”

If you are interested in speaking with local patient storytellers, health care providers, or families impacted by ongoing attacks on access to abortion care, 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 Lawmakers Block Legislation to Protect Access to IVF Treatment…Again

One week after Trump claims to be a “leader on IVF,” Vance and anti-abortion extremists block legislation to expand access to IVF treatment

WASHINGTON, DC –– Today, anti-abortion extremists in the Senate blocked the Right to IVF Act, legislation that would protect access to IVF treatment and make the procedure more affordable for families across the country. Conservative lawmakers claim to support IVF, yet every time they have an opportunity to protect and expand access to treatment, they vote against it. Over the summer, extremists in the Senate voted three times to block the Right to IVF Act, and attacks on access to reproductive health care continue to escalate. Today’s vote comes just one week after Donald Trump boldly claimed to be a “leader on IVF,” despite making IVF treatment less accessible as president, and openly embracing anti-IVF leaders. 

Millions of people across the country rely on IVF treatment to build strong, healthy families. A third of Americans say they know someone who has used IVF to help their family have a baby (32 percent), and recent polling shows 4 in 5 Americans believe IVF should be legal. 

Following today’s vote, Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just released the following statement: 

“Anti-abortion extremists like Senator JD Vance want it both ways – they want to continue attacking access to reproductive health care, while claiming that they support access to IVF treatment. It doesn’t work that way. The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade jeopardized access to all types of reproductive health care, including IVF, and extremists have proven time and again that they are not serious about supporting families going through fertility treatment. It’s more important than ever that we spotlight the real-life impacts of these attacks and tell the truth about what's at stake for families across the country.”

If you are interested in speaking with IVF patient storytellers, health care providers specializing in fertility treatments, or families impacted by ongoing attacks on access to IVF treatment, 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.