We are holding todays hearing at a moment when women across america are feeling sorrow, anger, and disbelief. 19 days ago a rightwing majority on the Supreme Court fulfilled the Republican Guard partys decades long goal of overturning roe v. Wade and stripped away a constitutional right relied on by generations of american women. The goal of these rightwing extremists is clear, to control the bodies of women, girls, and any person who can become pregnant. To be even more clear, the Dobbs Decision means the government can now order people to stay pregnant, on pain of criminal punishment. Many of us have been warning about this day four years as states have steadily chipped away at the right to abortion. In 2019, my first hearing as chair of this committee, we examine how draconian restrictions in states like missouri were closing down abortion providers. Last year we held a hearing on the sixweek abortion ban in texas, which turns private citizens into Bounty Hunters, encouraging them to sue anyone they suspect of having someone in need of an abortion. Now, the Supreme Court has bulldozed straight through our rights with this extreme, dangerous, and undemocratic decision. We are already seeing the disastrous effects of this as states begin criminalizing abortion. Abortion is now illegal in 16 states, and, antiabortion legislators in other states are rushing to follow suits. Threatening to make abortion inaccessible for an estimated 33 million women across the country. Doctors and patients in these states are afraid and confused about what this radical decision means for providing and receiving Critical Health care. Women are worried about having miscarriages or pregnancy complications for fear they may be investigated or prosecuted for getting the care they desperately need. Of course, abortion is still illegal in many states, including my home state of new york, thanks to democrats fighting for womens rights. But, for people who cannot afford to take time off of work and pay for childcare and travel expenses, going to another state to receive abortion care is simply not an option. We know that abortion bans and restrictions will disproportionately harm people of color, people with low incomes, young people, and lgbtq plus individuals undocumented people, and so many more. Today, we are going to hear about the terrible consequences of restricting and criminalizing abortion. We will hear from those who are personally impacted and from state legislators who are on the front lines of defending access to abortion. Todays hearing is especially important because republicans are not going to stop with jobs, they are trying to impose a national ban on abortion. They damage that would cause is inconceivable. As we hear about the impact of the loss of abortion rights today, i would like to ask those watching or hearing a simple question. Is this the country we want for our children . We want a country where our children have fewer rights than we do . Or, do we want to live in a country that respects and trust women to make the best choices for themselves and their families . The answer is clear, americans overwhelmingly support the right to an abortion. Democrats in congress, we hear you, we stand with you, and we are fighting for you. The house has already passed a Womens Health protection act, which would establish a statutory right to abortion, and, this right we will pass an updated version that directly responds to dobbs. Next, the senate must act. We should not let filibuster rules stand in the way. We also need to expand access to medication abortion. Congresswoman pluck pressley and i have worked with the Biden Administration to eliminate barriers to this safe, fda approved method of ending and early pregnancy. I have also introduced legislation to crack down on anti abortion disinformation and to protect access to contraception at the pharmacy counter. President biden signed an executive order last week to protect and expand access to abortion, and, all rape or Reproductive Health care. We stand ready to support his efforts. Democrats are committed to restoring abortion rights and access that the rightwing Supreme Court has taken away. We will never stop fighting until it is restored, i now yield to Ranking Member thank you, madam chair, we are having a hearing today on a Supreme Court decision, a decision that came at the end of a legal process. To be clear, the Dobbs Decision did not outlaw abortion. Instead, it return the issue to the states, for the people to decide. It democrats charge the Supreme Court is somehow destroying our democracy by strengthening our democratic process. They have spent the last two months attacking the legitimacy of the court, even seeking to intimidate, through thinly veiled threats of violence, all because the left did not get what they want. I would ask that we play the video now, plays. Down with the Supreme Court we will defy them [inaudible] i want to tell you, i want to tell you kavanaugh, you have released the whirlwind you will pay the price a man was arrested overnight near the home of Supreme CourtJustice Brett kavanaugh, he was armed with a gun, a knife, and told authorities that he was there to kill the justice. Police discovered to molotov cocktails and a fire sent to the headquarters of wisconsin family action. A Pregnancy Center just blocks away from capitol hill was vandalized overnight. This fire broke out at the pregnancy resource center, we are told there was considerable damage. The Group Calling itself janes revenge, promising more violence targeting antiabortion groups nationwide. In todays hearing, democrats will fearmonger, following the advice of their allies in the media and jumping on the bandwagon. The New York Times fault a piece saying that democrats need to lean into the politics of fear, and quote, when it comes to abortion. To the Mainstream Media, the politics of fear includes ignoring violence against those who opposed the preferred policies. Just a few weeks ago a man traveled across the country to try to assassinate a sitting Supreme Court justice. The Mainstream Media buried the news because doing so would somehow show their support for Justice Kavanaugh. Or, even the Supreme Court. Todays hearing continues the patterns of a democrat throughout this entire congress. In hearing after hearing the sought to draw attention away from the failures of the Biden Administration. The failures that have led to skyrocketing administration, a frightening shortage of baby formula, and the worst border crisis in the history of america. While democrats refused to conduct any meaningful oversight President Biden has put us on a path to destroy america. Unfortunately, democrats followed suit by seeking to destroy our democratic institutions. They are beholden to the radical left, who even the Biden Administration admits is out of touch. They have no respect for process, even though our public relies on process to survive. When process is respected it strengthens our institutions and encourages responsible civic action through the legislative process. When the process is respected, the rule of law is upheld. And, thankfully, the Supreme Court respected process. The constitution begins with we the people of the United States, not be the government or we the nine justices of the Supreme Court. To see the Supreme Court restrain its own powers and return authority to the states and the people should be inspiring. Meanwhile, the American People interested congress to restrain the powers of the executive branch. And toward that end, the congress and our committee has failed. Thats our country struggles under the weight of inflation, skyrocketing Energy Crisis and a southern border, we sat idly by with hearings that offer the American People zero solutions. This committee needs to do better. We must do better. Madam chair, i yield back. Before i introduce our witnesses id like to briefly respond to the Ranking Member. Democrats strongly reject any use of harassment, threats or violence. That is why congress has taken action to protect the members of the Supreme Court, thats why weve urged republicans to join us in condemning the violent attack on the capitol last year. What we do support is americans ability to peacefully stand up for their rights. I believe that is not a democracy if women cannot make decisions about their own health care, including reproductive rights. And we will continue to fight for americans and their rights. And we will never give up. I would like to now introduce our witnesses that we have today. First, we will hear from fifth team a gross graves, chief executive officer of the women s law center. I now recognize representative lawrence to briefly introduce our next witness. Good morning and thank you, madam chair. I have the in pleasure of introducing our own, michigans own state senator, mario make moral. She represents central detroit, she is serving her first term for the 13th state district. Shes an impassioned fighter for the people of michigan, for families and for Reproductive Health. Her voice speaks volumes and i look forward to hearing from her today. I now represent representative johnson, briefly, to introduce our next witness, representative johnson . Thank, you madam chair. This morning, im pleased to introduce state representative rannita shannon. Who is a representative in the Georgia House of representatives since 2017. Where she has represented the 84th district, which includes part of the fourth congressional district, which i represent. Representative shannon is the former Vice President of the Georgia State chapter of the National Organization for women and has long been a champion in the fight for justice, racial equality and reproductive freedom. She is sponsored legislation aiming to defund antiabortion crisis centers. She has successfully led the effort to expand postpartum medicaid coverage and has fought repeatedly against restrictions to abortions in georgia, sharing her own abortion story in the process. In light of the recent Supreme Court decision, we need people to speak out what we all know is right. And state representative shannon, we welcome you to congress to use your voice. Once again. And hold as we strive to take away bottle lee autonomy accountable. Thank you for your testimony today i yield back. Then, we will hear from professor michelle goodwin, the chancellors professor of law at the university of california airline. Please note that professor goodwin has a hard stop at 11 00, which times will be excused. Then, we will hear from erwin mauro holly senior counsel for the Alliance Defending freedom. Finally, we will hear from sara lopez, abortion storyteller at we testify and Youth Program manager at janes due process. The witnesses will be unmuted so we can swear them in. Please raise your right hand. Do you swear the testimony you are about to give is the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you god . Let the record show that the witnesses answered in the affirmative. Thank, you without objection your written statements will make made part of this record. With that, miss graves, you are recognized for your testimony. Chairman maloney, Ranking Member gohmert and members of the committee, thank you for the invitation to testify today. My name is fatima goss graves and im presidency out the National Womens law center. Im here today because, in a single day millions lost a right, a right they had for nearly 50 years that had been fundamental to our health and our life and our future into the society. That decision in dobbs versus jackson Womens Health organization has already proven to be catastrophic. Within two, weeks 14 states were already without abortion care, now more. People are now told they will be forced to stay pregnant, they will be forced to give birth and they even are now being told they cant leave their state. And we got here in a dizzying fashion. A mix of extreme lawmakers raced to pass more and more outrageous laws, banning abortion, sewing fear and division in their communities along the way. And then, they escalated those tactics after they saw president trumps promise that he would automatically appoint justices to the Supreme Court who would automatically ban abortion and overturn roe. And so, more than two weeks ago we watched with horror as the courts majority put their personal opinions above longstanding rule of law, science and peoples basic needs. I cannot overstate how much legal uncertainty and chaos that the Supreme Court has only shipped with this unsound opinion. Our lives and our systems that are expectations in this country have been built around the idea that abortion is legal. Now, without that bedrock, we face a minefield of vague and evolving and even sometimes conflicting state laws. Employers and schools and city governments, they are all buried under the weight of this explosion. Clinics and health care professionals, they are trying to make sense of this shifting landscape. Patients are confused and they are scared about their rights. And they, as individuals, are forced to navigate an uncertain legal landscape. Many cannot travel, including those who cant afford it or are incarcerated or are maybe undocumented. And those who are able to travel out of state, they are terrified. State lawmakers and missouri are already considering a Bounty Hunter style law to target those who travel out of state for abortion care and those who help them. All of these groups are facing fear of prosecution and harassment and intimidation. And so, to the Committee Members and to anyone who is watching today, i am here to say this is not a drill. Our very democracy and what it means to be an equal participant in our society, and our economy, in our political system is on the brink of demise. Alongside, it things like free and fair elections, interstate travel, freedom to express oneself, safety in public places, the right to protest and, indeed, yes, that fundamental right to privacy. These are principles of our democracy and they are significantly under threat. So, before closing, i want to focus not on those who unleashed this chaos but on those who will be most harmed by it. Those who are suffering now are more likely to be low income, theyre more likely to be women of color, theyre already facing challenges accessing health care in their community, including other basic forms of Health Care Like contraception. They often lack things like job security and paid leave. And they may just be going to college or starting a new career or maybe they are trying to leave an abusive relationship or they could have been assaulted. Whatever their situation, they understand why they need abortion care. And they know it is right for them. And i trust them to make that decision. Thank you. Thank you. Senator mick mauro, you are now recognized for your testimony. Thank, you madam chair Ranking Member and members of the committee and congresswoman lawrence for the very kind interrupt introduction. Id like to start with the story. 2014, were a year into their marriage and elated to be expecting their first child. Throughout their pregnancy, a calm felt wonderful, as healthy as could be. All the regular checkups show that everything was on track. But, at their 20week appointment, everything changed. The doctor came back into the room in the room grew quiet. The diagnosis was fear austria genesis and perfect, a form of skeletal dysplasia preventing the fetus from developing collagen. Simply put, the bones were not developing. My calm and jordan learned that if their future child survived, being carried a term, they would likely live a very short life, suffering every moment in great pain. The diagnosis was so severe that a sneeze could break a rib. Her husband, jordan, told me that he didnt think there in the category of needing an abortion and all the stigma that went along with it. We needed emergency medical care. He said, that given their situation, he had no doubt that this has would recognize the urgency and get them the care that they needed. But he was wrong. The hospital made it difficult to schedule appointments. No one seems to want to call them back despite making the heartbreaking and selfless decision to terminate their pregnancy, a pregnant say they wanted so badly, in the moment they needed the help the most it felt like nobody would help them. Through a tireless effort calling every family friend they could think of, they finally found a way to the university of michigan Womens Hospital where a team of experts would perform the procedure. They recognize that most do not have time and resources that they need they do. And how lucky they were to know people in medicine throughout the state and be able to take time