Sen. Ed Markey and abortion advocates worry other states are now looking to emulate Texas

A person wearing an orange sweater and blue face mask carries a sign reading "ABORTIONS SAVES LIVES!!!" A person wearing stands next to them carries a sign reading "THEIR BODY THEIR CHOICE." There are several people marching behind them in orange shirts. They are walking along a sidewalk outside of a brick building.

Abortion rights supporters gather to protest Texas SB 8 in front of Edinburg City Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, in Edinburg, Texas. The nation's most far-reaching curb on abortions since they were legalized a half-century ago took effect Wednesday in Texas, with the Supreme Court silent on an emergency appeal to put the law on hold. (Joel Martinez/The Monitor via AP)AP

Outside the John Adams Courthouse in Boston, Sen. Ed Markey spoke of the difficulties that women in Texas face after a near-complete ban on abortions. He added that other states are now looking to emulate the Lone Star State’s decision.

“States like Mississippi will try to replicate the success of the GOP in Texas unless we move to expand the court,” Markey said Wednesday.

Markey plans to abolish the filibuster and pass legislation to expand the Supreme Court from nine to 13 seats.

The announcement comes after the U.S. Supreme Court failed to block a Texas law that bans abortions after six weeks.

The Judiciary Act of 2021, in addition to Markey, is being co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. Jerrold Nadler, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Hank Johnson of Georgia and Mondaire Jones of New York.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not announced plans to bring this to the floor but has said that she plans to bring up legislation that would codify Roe v. Wade protections.

Roe v. Wade, was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the court ruled that the Constitution protects a pregnant woman’s liberty to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction.

“People are scared and confused. This law does not align with medical standards and has no exceptions for rape or incest,” said Jennifer Childs-Roshak, CEO of Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts. “Health centers are flooded with calls. As people try to figure out where they can turn for care.”

She stated that people have to travel hundreds of miles to seek care out-of-state, take time out of work, arrange childcare and transportation.

“Friends, families, neighbors are terrified that they will be sued for providing support or even providing a ride,” Childs-Roshak pointed out.

The law allows private citizens to sue abortion providers and anyone else who helps a woman obtain an abortion. That includes those who give a woman a ride to a clinic or provide financial assistance to obtain an abortion. Private citizens who bring these suits don’t need to show any connection to those they are suing.

Outside the Boston courthouse, the senator was joined by Childs-Roshak; Rebecca Hart Holder, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice MA; Carol Deanow, leader for “The Bad Old Days Posse” and Massachusetts State Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa.

“We must fight city by city, state by state to ensure that people can always access abortion care in Texas. We’ll keep fighting in the courts in Massachusetts. We’ll keep improving equitable access to care and nationally we will rally to protect access to abortion through the women’s health protection act,” said Childs-Roshak. “No one’s personal decisions should be controlled by politicians, neighbors, complete strangers, or anyone else.”

Markey and the other speakers addressed concern over those that are most at risk from the lack of action by the Supreme Court.

Markey stated that many Americans have lost faith in the court system and its neutrality in the judicial system. He added that it’s the people of color, women and immigrant communities that are at risk most.

“We know that abortion restrictions overwhelmingly affect communities of color,” said Markey. “Their neighborhoods are the ones targeted for abortion clinic shutdowns, for access restrictions and much more. They are in the crosshairs for this movement that is coming out of Texas.”

According to The Texas Tribune, areas like Dallas County are seeing a growing divide in the economic opportunities available to its residents, who are far more likely to be people of color.

Black and Hispanic residents of Dallas make up about 68% of the city. And about 83% of those living in poverty in Dallas are either black or Hispanic, according to American Communities Survey data.

“We know that due to our unequal economy, where many people of color work in occupations that don’t offer a paid family and medical leave, that if a person of color has to travel to get an abortion, their paycheck and their job could be at risk.”

We are at a turning point in our country’s history, Markey warned. According to the senator, the Supreme Court has a “far right-wing agenda” and could have far-reaching implications for the protection of people in other states.

“The Supreme Court has left us no choice,” said Markey. “We are going to have to fight for our rights, just like we always have.”

However, this has not always been Markey’s argument. When Markey ran for Congress in 1976 with the backing of anti-abortion groups he voted for anti-abortion legislation for several years until 1983, just before running for Paul Tsongas’s vacant Senate seat.

The Boston Globe ran a story in 2013 on his shift of views that subsequently went pro-choice.

“I was making a personal decision about what I felt was the right thing to do,” Markey said at the time. “I wasn’t thinking about it in any other context than I felt uncomfortable with the way I was voting.”

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