Congressman Al Green Responds to Governor Greg Abbott’s Comments Barring Abortion Access to Victims of Rape

(Houston, TX) – On Wednesday, September 8, 2021, Congressman Al Green (TX-09) released the following statement in the wake of Governor Greg Abbott’s comments on rape as it relates to Texas Senate Bill 8 (SB8):

“Yesterday, Governor Abbott reaffirmed his support for the 6-week abortion ban that went into effect last Wednesday in Texas,” Congressman Al Green said. “He came to its defense by contending that this legislation ‘obviously does not require’ rape victims to birth their assaulter’s child ‘because obviously it provides at least six weeks for a person to get an abortion.’”

Congressman Al Green added, “Given that most women may not realize they are pregnant until after six weeks have lapsed, if this law is allowed to stand, a woman who is raped will be victimized twice: initially by the criminal who is a rapist, and thereafter by the state of Texas denying her constitutional right to choose under the most unconscionable of circumstances. Upholding a woman’s right to choose is not and should not be contingent upon ‘eliminating rapists’ in the state of Texas. I am deeply concerned about the future of women’s reproductive rights and will continue to fight for the passage of the Women’s Health Protection Act at the federal level.”