WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today released the below statement regarding her vote against Democrats’ partisan and extreme abortion legislation:

“To be clear: The Supreme Court has not made a final decision on overturning Roe v. Wade and Casey v. Planned Parenthood. Today, my Democratic colleagues put forth a bill that goes way beyond putting Roe v. Wade into law. This bill overrides all state and federal laws that exist on restrictions to abortions. This bill denies faith-based conscience protections under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993. This bill enables federal funding for abortion, yet the Hyde amendment, which prohibits the use of federal funding to pay for abortion, was first passed in 1976. The bill also creates a right to an abortion at any point of the pregnancy. Many of these issues I have voted against repeatedly. Therefore, I voted ‘no’ today on this radical legislation, and I am not surprised that this effort failed.”

Specifically, S. 4132 would: 

  • Create a federal statutory right to perform and receive abortions up until birth;
  • Override all federal and state laws on abortion, including prohibitions on late-term abortions, conscience protections for faith-based health care providers, and screening and notification requirements;
  • Allow taxpayer funding of abortions by superseding the bipartisan Hyde amendment;
  • Eliminate all Religious Freedom Restoration Act protections.

# # #