For Immediate Release: April 24, 2024
Contact: Virginia Lucy, media@napawf.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Earlier today, the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) joined the reproductive health, rights, and justice community on the front steps of the U.S. Supreme Court to demand emergency reproductive health care access. 

The rally, organized and led by the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), was held today as the U.S. Supreme Court considers a case that threatens access to emergency abortion care for pregnant people. The consolidated cases – Idaho v. United States and Moyle v. United States – question whether state abortion bans can override the protections provided by The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA). 

EMTALA is a federal law that requires emergency rooms to treat anyone who shows up with an emergency medical condition, including a medically required abortion, regardless of their condition, insurance status, or ability to pay.

Taking to the podium during the rally, May Thach, NAPAWF’s Senior Florida Organizing Manager and daughter of Khmer-Krom refugees, shared what this decision would mean for Floridians, who already face a devastating six-week abortion ban:

“I’m deeply disappointed at the state of Florida’s legal system. But we are not alone; this is happening in different states across the country, like Idaho and Alabama. Now, our country’s Supreme Court will decide a case that has had over 40 years of precedent in protecting pregnant people and their ability to access emergency abortion care. Guess who this hurts the most? Women of color…EMTALA might be the only protection we have left for Floridians who need abortion care. Pregnant Floridians can not afford to lose any more healthcare protections!”

The decision to allow state bans to supersede EMTALA protections would have catastrophic implications for the 1.3 million Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander women of reproductive age who live in a state with an abortion ban or partial ban. A significant percentage of pregnancies in the AANHPI community end in miscarriage and then abortion. This decision impacts many of them. The Court is expected to issue its decision by the end of June. 

May’s full speech (approx. 9 minute mark), as well as the full line-up of rally speakers, can be viewed at NWLC’s live recording of the event. 

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The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) is the only multi-issue, progressive, community organizing and policy advocacy organization for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women and girls in the U.S. NAPAWF’s mission is to build collective power so that all AAPI women and girls can have full agency over our lives, our families, and our communities.