July 20, 2022

CONGRESSWOMAN CORI BUSH STATEMENT FOLLOWING YESTERDAY'S ARREST AT NON-VIOLENT CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE FOR REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01) released the following statement after she was arrested alongside 16 Democratic Members of Congress and several organizers after participating in a non-violent civil disobedience for reproductive rights.

 

“St. Louis sent me to Congress to do everything in my power to protect our rights and individual freedoms. That’s why I’m fighting with everything I’ve got, including putting my body on the line, for my community. This week I introduced legislation to protect reproductive freedom, and yesterday I was arrested with 16 of my Democratic colleagues and several organizers at an action outside of the Supreme Court,” said Congresswoman Bush. “As an activist, I’ve long put my body on the line to stand up for what’s right — to demand justice. In the aftermath of this far-right Supreme Court decision, we need to be doing everything in our power to secure reproductive justice and access to abortion care. I am grateful for the members of Congress and organizers who banded together today in protest against the stripping away of our fundamental rights and will continue doing everything I can  in the fight for reproductive justice.”

 

Congresswoman Bush has a long history of fighting for reproductive rights. Back in 2018, prior to her start in Congress, she led a protest at Senator Roy Blunt’s (R-Mo.) office over the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. During her first year in Congress, Congresswoman Bush shared her personal story of how she made the difficult decision to have an abortion after being raped at 17 years old. Following the leaked draft SCOTUS decision signaling that the Court was poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, Congresswoman Bush partnered with Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) and 116 colleagues on a letter urging the Senate to abolish the filibuster to codify abortion rights.  Last week, Congresswoman Bush spoke in two hearings where she highlighted the harms that this latest decision has on a post-Roe world and the Supreme Court history of denying fundamental rights. Earlier this week, Congresswoman Bush and Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn) introduced legislation that would ensure people seeking abortion care can always access medication abortion through tele-health services and certified pharmacies, including mail-order pharmacies. 

 

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Congresswoman Cori Bush sits on the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees, serves as the Progressive Caucus Deputy Whip, and proudly represents St. Louis as a politivist in the halls of the United States Congress.