National Institute for Reproductive Health & NIRH AF President Christian LoBue released the following statement in response to the confirmation hearing of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of United States Secretary of Health and Human Services:
“RFK Jr. has long been a threat to public health, and his comments today that abortion should be left to the states, even when someone needs emergency care, only reinforces that fact. As an organization that works every day to protect and expand reproductive freedom in states across the country, let us be clear: “leave it up to the states” has long been code for allowing states to trample people’s rights — from upholding slavery and segregation to stopping people from marrying the person they love to restricting health care. The federal government must act to ensure that everyone can access abortion care when and how they need it, regardless of where they live. We need an HHS Secretary that will protect our rights and base decisions on science, not push a dangerous political agenda.”