Pro-Choice Caucus Labels ‘Safe, Legal, And Rare’ Abortion Rhetoric ‘Harmful Language’

The Pro-Choice Caucus released a messaging document labeling the “safe, legal, and rare” pro-abortion rhetoric as “harmful language.”

The Pro-Choice Caucus — co-chaired by Reps. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Barbara Lee (D-CA) — released messaging materials to update the language surrounding their pro-abortion arguments. They suggested “helpful language” to replace “harmful language” such as:

• Replacing the “harmful” term “choice” for the “helpful” term “decision”
• Replacing “reduce abortion/’safe, legal, and rare'” for “safe, legal, and accessible.” (Then-presidential candidate Bill Clinton introduced the “safe, legal, and rare” abortion line about his limited support for abortion during his 1992 campaign.)
• Replacing “unwanted pregnancy” with “unexpected pregnancy”
• Replacing “conscience clause/protections” with “refusal of care/denial of care laws”
• Replacing “back-alley abortions/coat hangers” with “criminalizing healthcare”

The updated rhetoric follows Wednesday’s vote in which Senate Democrats failed to pass legislation that would prohibit local, state, and federal governments from preventing abortion. One Democrat, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), opposed the motion to invoke cloture and end debate on the abortion legislation to codify Roe v. Wade.

The Pro-Choice Caucus leaders released a statement after the Senate failed to pass the legislation:

With the Supreme Court poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, the Senate’s failure to act – and pass the legislation needed to protect all Americans’ right to abortion care – is inexcusable.

It’s been over seven months since the House passed the Women’s Health Protection Act, and, in that time, we’ve seen abortion rights eroded further and further. As a result, millions of Americans now lack access to abortion services, and this will only be compounded if the Supreme Court overturns Roe.

We are frustrated, we are upset and we are angry – but we are also more determined than ever. Our fight to protect Americans’ access to abortion care did not end with today’s vote in the Senate, it has only just begun.

As the leaders of the Pro-Choice Caucus, we are bringing our members together in ways that we never have before.

The lawmakers added, “This weekend, we will take to the streets to join people around the country who – like us – believe that every person deserves the right to make their own decisions about their bodies, lives, and futures. We know that the American people are with us in this fight, and we will never give up.”