Oregon Senate Republicans walked out Wednesday in protest of a radical pro-abortion bill that would allow girls as young as 10 to have abortions – or be coerced by an abuser – without their parents’ knowledge.
OPB reports the lawmakers’ protest temporarily halted state House Bill 2002B due to the lack of a quorum. Democrats hold a majority in both houses.
State Republican leaders said Democrats are hiding the truth about the bill from voters, and it’s “too extreme for Oregon.”
“[This bill] allows a child of any age, without parental knowledge, to receive an abortion,” the Oregon Senate GOP said in a statement Monday on Twitter. “This will increase the vulnerability of young girls to be sex-trafficked. … HB 2002B is nothing but an extreme attack on parents and children.”
The pro-abortion bill eliminates all age limits on abortion, meaning abortion providers can abort unborn babies on girls as young as 10 without informing their parents. Only if the girl explicitly gives written permission would her parents be informed.
Sponsored by state Rep. Rob Nosse, D-Portland, the wide-reaching legislation also protects abortionists if they violate other states’ pro-life laws, and eliminates the crime of “concealing the birth of an infant,” effectively shielding abortion providers who end the life of an infant born alive after an attempted abortion. Another provision forces public colleges and universities to provide dangerous abortion pills on campus.
ACTION ALERT: Contact Oregon Senate lawmakers and urge them to oppose this radical legislation.
“It’s hard to comprehend how this kind of legislation is being defended by some in the legislature,” said Lois Anderson, executive director of Oregon Right to Life, after the bill passed the House on Monday.
Speaking with OPB, Senate Minority Leader Tim Knopp, R-Bend, said they will make decisions on a day-to-day basis about how long to keep up the protest.
“We’re not going to talk about what our protest will look like other than to say this is a constitutional protest and we believe it is a legal protest,” he said.
According to the local news, Oregon recently passed a law that imposes large penalties on lawmakers from the minority party for walking out and denying a quorum. It also prohibits lawmakers from running for re-election if they have at least 10 unexcused absences.
However, Republican lawmakers say the law is unconstitutional, and they may challenge it in court, OPB reports.
Democrats control the Oregon Legislature, and they blasted Republicans for their walk-out Wednesday. Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber, D-Beaverton, described their protest as “embarrassing” while portraying the radical pro-abortion bill as one that simply “protect[s] reproductive health freedom.”
But Republican leaders said the bill is much “too extreme” for most voters.
“Oregon taxpayers will be on the hook to pay for abortions and irreversible sex-changing treatments for non-Oregon residents” if the bill passes, Senate Republicans said.
Polls consistently show strong public support for parental consent for minors and opposition to taxpayer funding for elective abortions.
Oregon has very few restrictions on abortion, and its governor has been working with leaders in Washington and California to expand elective abortions even more, including by devoting millions of taxpayer dollars to destroying unborn babies’ lives. Last year, the state legislature approved $15 million to pay for women in and out of state to travel for abortions and increase the number of abortion facilities in the state.
ACTION ALERT: Contact Oregon Senate lawmakers and urge them to oppose this radical legislation.
