MADISON, Wis. – Today, Assembly Democratic Leader Greta Neubauer and Wisconsin doctors discussed the consequences of overturning Roe v. Wade and the dangerous impact of Ron Johnson and his Republican allies’ continued efforts to undermine Wisconsinites’ reproductive health.

Wisconsin Republican politicians at every level, from Ron Johnson to Robin Vos to the Republican gubernatorial candidates, have waged a full-scale assault against reproductive health care. Speakers highlighted the devastating impact this decision and Republicans’ extremist stance on abortion would have and the importance of electing Democrats who will protect access to abortion and preserve bodily autonomy for Wisconsinites.

State Rep. Greta Neubauer, Democratic Leader in the Wisconsin Assembly: “The GOP gubernatorial candidates want the 1849 law to stay. And Ron Johnson, who has long advocated to overturn Roe v. Wade and is all too familiar with where his Republican allies stand, thinks the Supreme Court draft decision is the ‘correct one.’… People should be able to live in Wisconsin or anywhere and feel safe and without living under the threat of having their access to reproductive health care taken away from them. Ron Johnson, the Republican gubernatorial candidates, and the GOP-controlled legislature – their position on these issues poses a clear and present danger to our state. That’s why our only recourse in this moment is to beat them at the ballot box by electing Democrats like Governor Tony Evers and firing Ron Johnson. We have to send a clear message in November that they cannot trample on our freedom and roll the clock back. As you’ve heard on this call, lives are on the line. And we owe it to every Wisconsinite to fight against this injustice now and going forward.”

Dr. Emily Buttigieg, OB-GYN: “[Republicans] have turned this private medical concern into a political agenda. They know how damaging this will be to people’s lives, and they simply do not care. Look at Ron Johnson, a longtime advocate of repealing Roe v. Wade. He has said he thinks that this decision won’t impact people’s health care. Well, let me say this clearly, Senator Ron Johnson is absolutely wrong – and the hypocrisy of this is appalling. Johnson believes the government, the same government that he criticizes as being too intrusive, should stand between me and my patients. Ron Johnson has said ‘let doctors do their jobs,’ so why won’t he let us do ours? When it comes to his self-serving agenda, Ron Johnson will say and do anything to make it happen. But now he’s trying to take away my patients’ freedoms.”

Dr. Kathy Hartke, OB-GYN, Co-Chair at Wisconsin Maternal Mortality Review Team: “Elected Wisconsin Republicans are focused on rolling the clock back, endangering Wisconsin lives, and taking away our freedoms…What will happen when abortions are illegal? More mothers will die. And I already see too many mothers dying in Wisconsin in my role on the Maternal Mortality Review Team…There will also be more children in poverty, more homeless children, and more hungry children. With no paid family leave, mothers often have to go back to work in two weeks after having a baby and are not able to mother in a way that they desire and the infant needs.”

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