Vice President Kamala Harris, in a report by the Houston Chronicle, condemned Texas' restrictive abortion laws after a study revealed over 26,000 rape-related pregnancies in the state since the enactment of its total abortion ban. The Houston Chronicle reported Harris describing the laws as "immoral" and vowed to continue fighting for women’s freedom to make personal health decisions.
These remarks followed nearly two months since Harris visited Houston discussing various issues including abortion, and with Texas being a significant battleground for Democrats in the 2024 elections abortion rights are increasingly emphasized by party leaders, though the publication of this study, which appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association by Dr. Kari White of Resound Research for Reproductive Health, has put the spotlight back on the state's divisive policy which allows for no exceptions for rape or incest. Harris' statement to the Chronicle underscored that "Women across our nation should not be subject to extreme and oppressive laws that dictate what they can do with their bodies, including and especially after surviving a violent crime."
The Vice President is slated to join a moderated conversation in Houston on Monday; Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff are also expected to participate reported FOX 26 Houston. The event, part of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus' (CHC) 'On The Road' initiative, aims to fortify ties with Latino communities, highlighting resources made available by the Biden-Harris Administration and the CHC.
Other Democrats are rallying behind Harris, as U.S. Rep Lloyd Doggett expressed to the Chronicle his discontent saying it’s "Outrageous for GOP leaders to feel entitled to make health decisions for survivors," projecting a clear call for Congress to restore abortion rights in light of the ripple effects created by Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, setting off a chain of events, which led to stringent abortion laws in states like Texas and the subsequent staggering increase in rape-related pregnancies as cited by the new study.
