On July 17, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, and reproductive rights allies rallied at the Capitol to oppose President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Leader Pelosi and other pro-choice members of Congress detailed the threat Kavanaugh poses to women’s reproductive health and the Affordable Care Act.
Leader Pelosi underscored just how imminent the threat to a woman’s right to choose is— a right that the Supreme Court ruled was protected by the Constitution more than 45 years ago. She stressed that a vote to confirm Kavanaugh is nothing short of a vote to repeal Roe v. Wade. Leader Pelosi continued by emphasizing that Kavanaugh was hand-picked precisely because he is hostile to women’s health and would be a key fifth vote in repealing a plethora of critical protections. Pelosi finished by reminding attendees that the 170th anniversary of the Seneca Fall Convention is on July 19, and we need to stand on the shoulders of those women and activists who boldly wrote that “all men and women are created equal.”
Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colorado, followed Leader Pelosi and reiterated the widely held concern that Kavanaugh is the most consequential Supreme Court nominee of this generation. Echoing Pelosi, she stressed that he was carefully selected by the Federalist Society to realize a far-right agenda that will fulfill Trump’s campaign promise of reversing Roe. Rep. DeGette continued that Kavanaugh will not serve as an independent check on Trump and that his confirmation would drag the country back into the last century when it comes to a woman’s right to choose and health care.
Reps. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, Barbara Lee, D-California, and Brenda Lawrence, D-Michigan, also gave passionate speeches about the imminent danger Kavanaugh poses to women’s rights. Rep. Nadler emphasized that people cannot be complacent when so much is at stake. Rep. Lee reminded the audience that the majority of Americans believe in a woman’s right to choose and the biggest obstacle in this fight is our own confidence that we can win. Rep. Lawrence contended that this is a fight for the heart and soul of our nation, and we cannot disregard or disrespect the legacy of those foremothers and forefathers who worked tirelessly to provide future generations with basic human rights.
Leader Pelosi closed the rally by thanking everyone in attendance and all the organizations that are fighting to stop Kavanaugh. She reminded everyone that the stakes are perilously high if this Supreme Court nominee is confirmed, not just for women’s rights and affordable health care, but for civil and human rights and the rule of law. Kavanaugh was hand-picked for his dangerous ideology and must be stopped. It is imperative that “we don’t agonize, we organize.”