Schakowsky, Casten, Nadler, Urge DOJ to Address Violence at Abortion Clinics
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Sean Casten (IL-06), and Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) led 51 colleagues in a letter urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to fully enforce the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act and protect safe access to reproductive health care facilities.
“It is concerning that, despite the alarming increase in violence and threats directed toward patients and providers, we are not seeing commensurate enforcement of one of the few federal provisions protecting people’s right to safely access health care facilities,” the lawmakers wrote. “...we urge you to bring every resource to bear to fully enforce the FACE Act and protect safe access to reproductive health care facilities.”
In the early 1990s, Congress enacted the FACE Act to protect the rights of patients to safely access reproductive health services in response to violence at abortion clinics and against abortion providers. The FACE Act prohibits violence, threatening, damaging, and obstructive conduct intended to injure, intimidate, or interfere with an individual’s ability to seek, obtain, or provide reproductive health services. However, the law is sporadically and inconsistently enforced.
In addition to Reps. Schakowsky, Casten, and Nadler, the letter was signed by Reps. Allred, Amo, Balint, Barragán, Beatty, Bowman, Brownley, Caraveo, Carbajal, Casar, Castor, Cherfilus-McCormick, Cohen, Connolly, Craig, Crockett, DeGette, Evans, Robert Garcia, Sylvia Garcia, Goldman, Gottheimer, Grijalva, Ivey, Jonathan Jackson, Sheila Jackson Lee, Barbara Lee, Summer Lee, Magaziner, Matsui, McClellan, McGovern, Meng, Moulton, Norton, Ocasio-Cortez, Pettersen, Porter, Quigley, Ramirez, Salinas, Schneider, Sherrill, Sorenson, Stansbury, Stevens, Strickland, Swalwell, Takano, Velázquez, and Nikema Williams.
The letter was endorsed by All* In Action Fund, Pro-Choice Caucus, National Council of Jewish Women, National Organization for Women (NOW), National Partnership for Women & Families, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and Reproductive Freedom for All.
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