Progress Iowa executive director Mazie Stilwell issued the following statement in response to Governor Reynolds’ celebration of the first anniversary of the Republican Abortion Ban:
“One year after Governor Reynolds and Iowa Republicans’ near-total abortion ban went into effect, Iowans are still fighting to make personal decisions that are right for themselves, their families, and their futures. Instead of protecting that fundamental freedom, the Republican Abortion Ban has forced people to travel farther, pay more, and navigate a shrinking network of providers just to access care that should be safe, legal, and local.
Governor Reynolds and our Republican-controlled legislature have created a maternal health landscape that endangers pregnant Iowans and pushes providers out. We rank last among all states and territories for OBGYNs per capita and Black mothers are six times as likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than their white counterparts. This isn’t a “victory,” it’s a moral failure and Iowans are paying the price.
Iowans deserve better than political interference in their most personal decisions. They deserve respect, compassion, and the freedom to decide their own futures.”
