Pennsylvanians’ reproductive rights under attack amid pandemic

Lawmaker urges Wolf to defend families’ rights from cynical attacks

Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus    March 30, 2020 | 1:02 PM

PITTSBURGH, March 30 – Alarmed by what he called an opportunistic and cynical attack by Republicans on families’ reproductive rights, state Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, today urged Gov. Tom Wolf to affirm access to reproductive health care in Pennsylvania during the COVID-19 crisis.

“I’ve seen a lot of insidious attacks on reproductive rights over the years, but this might be the most cynical,” said state Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny and minority chair of the Health Committee. “Using the Covid-19 pandemic as a pretense to delay healthcare services until abortion is entirely out of reach is cruel and clearly designed to trap women during a particularly vulnerable and uncertain time.”

Frankel’s statement was in response to an attempt by Republican lawmakers to have reproductive health care deemed ‘nonessential’ and thus force healthcare practitioners to not offer services during on ongoing and evolving crisis. It is the latest in a series of attacks this legislative session by conservatives in the House that seek to rollback reproductive rights in Pennsylvania, he said.

“This proposal is immoral. I am relieved by the knowledge that Governor Wolf will see this underhanded conniving for what it is and keep abortion rights safe and legal in Pennsylvania,” Frankel concluded.