Across the country, people are showing up in parks, public squares and state Capitol buildings to urge lawmakers to #StoptheBans. The Womxn Project will be at our State House at noon to speak out as part of this national day of action and to show our #AbortionSolidarity!
Today we are not just calling on lawmakers to stop the bans. We also need them to stop the lies! There are so many truly ridiculous and insulting claims about the Reproductive Privacy Act (H 5125A) – the bill that we are now working to pass. Let’s say it again, this bill DOES NOT permit abortion at any stage in pregnancy.
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The RPA protects an individual right to seek abortion until viability.
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After viability, the RPA ensures that if someone needs an abortion to protect their life or health, abortion will be available.
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It also removes unconstitutional laws from the state books.
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It DOES NOT in any way impact the enforcement of the federal law that is known as the “partial-birth abortion ban” (totally inflammatory name that is not scientifically based and is meant to stir up emotions, but we digress).
Sadly, we are not just concerned about lies about the bill. There are a set of lawmakers who made promises to protect Roe and now they are road blocks to the bill– (hello, Senator Archambault, Senator McCaffrey and Senator Raptakis).
When he was running for office, Senator Raptakis said he would support a bill making the abortion rights enshrined in Roe state law. Then he turned his back on us!
Lying to us to get into office would be bad enough, but Senator Raptakis is on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which makes his deception a barrier to getting a bill passed this year. He voted “no” on the Senate bill last week in committee and to add insult to injury, he then went out for dinner to celebrate with some of the most extreme people working against our rights in Rhode Island.
SO JOIN US IN HOLDING SENATOR RAPTAKIS ACCOUNTABLE AND STOPPING THE LIES – he doesn’t get to pretend to care about our health and rights to get into office and then become an obstacle to protecting those rights:
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CALL Senator Raptakis (401-397-2720 and 401-276-5567) – “You said you would protect Roe and protect our right to abortion. I am urging you to live up to that commitment. This is about our health and rights, which should be important when you are trying to get elected AND when you are in office.”
Earlier in the session, Senator Raptakis had shut down the phone numbers listed. If you can’t get through, you can leave a message for him at the Senate President’s office (401-222-6655) saying “Please, urge Senator Raptakis to vote to protect the right to abortion and live up to his commitment to honor the promise of Roe.”
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EMAIL – After you make your call (PLEASE MAKE THE CALL), send him a quick email ([email protected]). You can use the same message from the phone call.
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SOCIAL MEDIA: After you call and email (super simple and so powerful to do ALL THREE), post to social media: Hey, .@LouRaptakis. You said you would support a bill making the abortion rights enshrined in Roe law in our state. Don’t turn your backs on our health and rights. Come through on your commitment! Email: [email protected]. #repro4RI #letitout
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POSTCARDING: We also have postcarding packets to help generate calls to Raptakis from his district. Our postcarding program has generated THOUSANDS of cards and calls this session. We provide all the supplies. Please, think about grabbing a packet and doing it on your own time. Contact us to get a packet TODAY!
We have to keep up the pressure to get this done this year. Please, make a call, send an email and (if you use social media) post on your forums! Facts matter and so do commitments made to voters!