Welch, House Democrats Deliver New Protections to Pre-Empt Trump Assault on Reproductive Rights

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch and House Democrats are continuing efforts to protect reproductive freedom in Illinois as the state marks three years since the United States Supreme Court stripped the right to choose from tens of millions of women across the country. Working ahead to stop the Trump Administration’s latest assault on women’s health and safety, Welch and his colleagues delivered new protections ensuring doctors and patients can still access potentially lifesaving reproductive health medications—regardless of what extremists in Washington do.

“Illinois has not hesitated in our effort to ensure personal medical decisions are made by women and their doctors, not politicians in Washington,” Welch said. “Once again, we are taking this president at his word that he will use the powers of the federal government to deny needed care by putting his own extreme politics ahead of science, health, and common sense. We’re not waiting for that to happen. Once again, we are taking charge of the things we can control and fighting for the better future we deserve.”

As Trump Administration officials take unprecedented steps to seize control of once-independent health agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and push politically motivated efforts to withdraw FDA approval of safe and legal medications needed in reproductive health, Welch and Assistant Majority Leader Dagmara ‘Dee’ Avelar helped pass House Bill 3637, the latest in Illinois’ efforts to protect a full range of reproductive health options. The new measure empowers doctors to prescribe needed medications even in the event of federal overreach by permitting the distribution of medication approved by international medical experts at the World Health Organization, regardless of what Trump’s FDA says. 

House Bill 3637 was passed by the House and Senate, and now awaits final approval by the governor. 

“With federal reproductive protections under constant attack, safeguarding reproductive health medication in Illinois is essential to preserve women’s personal freedoms and ensure people can make decisions about their bodies without interference,” said Avelar. “This bill locks in women’s reproductive protections, mitigates federal overreach, and maintains that a woman has absolute autonomy over her life and health.”