Kyrsten Sinema and bipartisan group of senators introduce bill to restore abortion rights

Arizona’s Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has taken a lot of well-deserved criticism over the past couple of years for pushing notions of bipartisanship that seem unrealistic and playing into the hands of obstructionist Republicans … but not today.

Today the senator’s dogged pursuit of bipartisanship has paid off, thanks in part to Supreme Court nominees who fudged what they would do with challenges to Roe v. Wade during their confirmation hearings and ticked off a couple of Republican senators.

Not all Republican senators were happy when the court gutted abortion rights. And a couple of them now want to restore those rights.

Sinema, along with Democrat Tim Kaine of Virginia and Republicans Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine have introduced what they call the Reproductive Freedom For All Act. If passed, it would codify into law the protections of Roe v. Wade, preventing states from banning abortion and guaranteeing access to contraceptives. Among other things.

They'd be doing something Americans want

The support of the Republican senators could be enough to pass the legislation in the Senate. But only if they could get by a Republican filibuster, a rule Sinema has been unwilling to change. With GOP members onboard would she do so for this legislation?

Not only would passage of the bill protect the reproductive rights of American women, but it would actually be an example of Congress doing something that the American people want.

Imagine that.

What about Sinema? Democrats' deal with Sen. Manchin raises that question

In a release from Sinema’s office she said, “A woman’s health care decisions should be between her, her family, and her doctor. Our bipartisan, commonsense legislation protects the health and wellbeing of women in Arizona and across the country by ensuring all women – no matter where they live – can access the health care they need and have the ability to make their own decisions about their futures.”

The others senators pitched in.

Murkowski said, “Every American should have autonomy over their own health care decisions, and the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs has made it imperative for Congress to restore women’s reproductive rights. I’m proud to introduce bipartisan legislation with my colleagues to write into law the protections provided through Roe and Casey as well as affirming access to contraception provided in Griswold and other cases.

“For five decades, reproductive health care decisions were centered with the individual – we cannot go back in time in limiting personal freedoms for women.”

It's about protecting a woman's reproductive rights

Collins added, “The Supreme Court’s recent abandonment of longstanding precedent erodes the reproductive rights on which women have relied for half a century. These basic rights need to be the same for American women regardless of the state in which they reside. Our bill would restore the right to obtain an abortion by enacting in federal law Roe v. Wade and other seminal Supreme Court decisions pertaining to reproductive freedom.

“In addition, our bill would protect access to contraception. By reinstating – neither expanding nor restricting – the longstanding legal framework for reproductive rights in this country, our bill would preserve abortion access along with basic conscience protections that are relied upon by health care providers who have religious objections.”

And Kaine said, “After the Supreme Court gutted a woman’s right to make personal health care decisions, Congress must restore that right. That’s why I’ve worked with my colleagues to find common ground on this bipartisan compromise that would do just that. The Reproductive Freedom For All Act would restore the right to abortion and protect access to contraception by enshrining those freedoms into federal legislation.”

You’ll notice that Sinema, always cautious (Or is it cagey?), doesn’t use the words “abortion” or “reproductive rights” in her statement, as do the others. But that’s what this is about.

It’s about protecting a woman’s reproductive rights, which should not need to be “restored.”

Because they should not have been taken away in the first place.

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Sen. Kyrsten Sinema sponsors bill to guarantee abortion rights