February 06, 2023

Duckworth to Host Metro East Doctor Erin King at State of the Union, Highlighting Need to Protect Women’s Health Access

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that Dr. Erin King of Illinois’s Hope Clinic will be her 2023 State of the Union guest, as part of the Senator’s continuing efforts to underscore the importance of a woman’s right to choose and defend Americans’ right to full, comprehensive reproductive healthcare—no matter their zip code, income, ability status or skin color.

“When Roe v. Wade fell, a ripple of panic and grief could be felt throughout our country,” said Duckworth. “Millions of Americans were left with fewer constitutionally-protected rights than they had before, and it’s taken the support, resources and empathy of places like Hope Clinic and people like Dr. Erin King to ensure women everywhere have access to reproductive health services. I’m proud to have her as my State of the Union guest this year and know that the importance of her clinic, and the work it does, will only continue to grow as Republican attacks on these rights continue. I refuse to let my daughters grow up in a world with fewer rights than I had, and I won’t stop working to ensure reproductive freedoms are protected for all Americans.”

In May last year, Duckworth first met with Hope Clinic director Dr. King and clinic staff to share her support for ensuring women everywhere can access safe and necessary healthcare. Hope Clinic, a reproductive healthcare and abortion provider in the Metro East, serves as a vital resource for women traveling from out of state for care, especially for those traveling from Missouri which has some of the harshest abortion laws in the nation. As a result of Roe v. Wade being tragically struck down, the Hope Clinic and Illinois at large have become necessary havens for an influx of Americans seeking reproductive freedom.

Senator Duckworth is a champion and staunch defender of a woman’s right to choose and worked to ensure that all Americans—no matter their income or zip code—have equal access to full reproductive healthcare. She is working to reverse the Supreme Court’s dangerous ruling that struck down Roe v. Wade and enshrine its protections into law, and she introduced the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH) Act, as well as supported the Women’s Health Protection Act, which she vocally criticized Republicans for blocking. After she urged Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to proactively protect servicemembers’ abortion rights, the Department of Defense announced several new protections and services to ensure our female troops can access the healthcare they need. Duckworth also pushed back against Republican attacks against the Biden Administration’s efforts to protect female Veterans’ access to care.

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