A RESOLUTION in support of abortion rights and other reproductive rights, in opposition to the U.S. Supreme Court draft majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization; and urging state and federal elected officials to codify abortion rights and other reproductive rights.
Agenda Item three. Resolution 32054. A resolution in support of abortion rights and other reproductive rights in opposition to the U.S. Supreme Court. Draft Majority Opinion in Dobbs versus Jackson Women's Health Organization and urging state and federal elected officials to codify abortion rights and other reproductive rights. Thank you, Madam Clerk. I move to adopt resolution 32054. Is there a second second? It has been moved and seconded to adopt the resolution. Council members want a sponsor of the resolution. You are recognized to address the item. Thank you. Council President Pro Tem Lewis. This is a resolution to support the rank and file movement to defend Roe v Wade, the right to bodily autonomy for women and LGBTQ people, the right to reproductive health care, and in specific, the right to seek abortion. On May 3rd, I joined thousands of protesters in Seattle and many thousands others around the country marching in opposition to the draft Supreme Court decision that would, if it is allowed to go through, overturn Roe v Wade and obliterating historic human rights that were won almost 50 years ago when a mass movement led by ordinary people in the sixties and seventies fought, fought and won Roe v Wade. We are facing the single biggest attack on women, pregnant people and reproductive rights in our lifetimes. And this right wing Supreme Court has also given every indication that if they succeed, if we don't fight to stop this in eliminating Roe v Wade, they plan to carry out draconian and draconian attacks also on LGBTQ rights. Next. As many of the speakers in public comment noted, the Supreme Court is intent on making this attack despite the fact that a majority of Americans support abortion rights and have supported for decades and over 70% oppose dismantling Roe v Wade. To defend against these attacks, we need to build mass grassroots movements that bring in more and more of the working class. And to win, we need to draw on some lessons of history. How was Roe v Wade one in the first place? It was. And let's be clear about this. It was never due to some benevolence or wisdom of the justice system. Nor was it won by Democratic Party aligned organizations that at that time refused to engage in the mass direct action that was needed. Like all victories for the working class under capitalism, Roe v Wade was wrenched from the hands of the powerful by a mass movement led by the rank and file, by rank and file workers, by rank and file women, and by rank and file militant leaders in the union movement and in the social movements who, unlike the cautiousness used by many of the prominent organizations, indeed understood that we needed marches on the streets, we needed protest actions, we need workplace actions like work stoppages, and we needed a nonviolent civil disobedience. The Supreme Court at the time was majority Republican appointed. Just like today. Majority sexist. Majority racist. Majority bigoted. Majority right wing, just like today. And yet not only the majority of the court, but a majority of the Republican appointed judges at the time voted in favor of Roe v Wade in a 7 to 2 decision. And that was because of the power of mass movement led by working people. In fact, one of the two judges who voted against Roe was a Democratic Party appointee. Abortion rights were won because of the massive combined pressure of the women's movement, civil rights movement, antiwar movement, labor movement, and militant strike action by union workers. Literally millions were out on the streets in the US. The ruling class and the courts feared even greater social upheaval, an even greater threat to the stability of their system of capitalism. And that's why they were forced to concede on victories like Roe v Wade. For all the women's rights and LGBTQ rights activists watching for all the union members and nonunion workers watching, that is exactly the kind of fear our movement needs to instill right now in the ruling class. It goes without building the fever pitch of mass movement. We will not be able to stop attacks like this when abortion rights, LGBTQ rights, worker's rights and the assault of the ruling class on the planet. I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican and have little confidence that the big business politicians that dominate those parties will do what is necessary to defend Roe v Wade and reproductive health care, let alone passing single payer universal health care to make access to all forms of health care free and available to all, including doxing Wall Street. However, we need to be clear that controlling the House, Senate and White House, the Democratic Party establishment could do this if they had the political will to do so. They could eliminate the filibuster, just like Trump Republicans did in order to appoint right wing justices. They could pass a law codifying Roe v Wade nationwide. They could pass single payer health care paid for by taxing billionaires. They could expand the size of the Supreme Court for and appoint justices who would support the right to bodily autonomy . And they could and should call mass movements to support these actions. They could do all of these things if they had the will to do so. The reality is that that is not the real program of the establishment Democratic Party, which means progressive Democrats need to decide if they will use their progressive credentials to make excuses for big business establishment that control their party, or they will use every resource at their disposal to build the largest possible mass movement to push all elected officials, Democratic and Republican, and also bring court judges, judges to back off. These attacks on women and LGBTQ people. This resolution asserts the City Council's opposition to overturning Roe v Wade, which I know those of those will support on the city council for that. But most importantly, it supports building the grassroots movement that we need. This Friday, students are calling demonstrations, and this Saturday is a national day of action to defend abortion rights called by Planned Parenthood. This resolution encourages Seattleites to participate in those protests, and this resolution urges progressive Democrats to use their resources to build this movement. Finally, this resolution commits to funding abortion access. I understand Councilmember Herbold was removing a proposed amendment with clarifying language recommended by the ACLU. Planned Parenthood, Pro-Choice Washington, a Northwest Abortion Access Fund and legal voice. I just want to clarify. I consider this amendment a friendly one and will be voting in favor of it. And I urge council members to support this resolution and urge anyone watching this to join me at the demonstrations this Friday and Saturday. Thank you. Thank you. Councilmember So a lot. Are there any other comments? Councilmember Gribble Yeah, so much. I moved the men resolution three to 054 as presented on Amendment One, which was recently distributed. That. Has been moved and seconded to adopt Amendment One. Councilmember Herbold, a sponsor. You are recognized to discuss your amendment. Thank you so much. I really appreciate the opportunity to bring this amendment and councilmember silence welcoming its inclusion. It was circulated to all offices just before noon today and was reviewed by law. I want to thank Roxana Gomez and Leah Rothman from ACLU, LA and Quigley I know from Pro-Choice Washington for they actually convened a group of health care providers and advocates, and they did so at very short notice to review the proposed resolution and offer their feedback. I understand that Councilmember Morales, who serves as co-chair representing the City Council on the Board of Health, also did outreach to some of the organizations that convened to provide their feedback. So I really appreciate the coordination and parallel lines of thought there. The amendment here is the result of that work and represents recommendations from ACLU. Washington, Pro-Choice, Washington. Northwest Abortion Access Fund, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates and Legal Voice. I really wanted to make sure that these advocates and experts long on the front line of reproductive justice had the opportunity to review this resolution related to abortion rights at this really critical moment. And just real quickly, highlighting what's in the amendment. It changes the gendered language in the bill. It adds a recital about how still 1851, which the state legislature passed this year and preserves a pregnant individual's ability to access abortion care. And it requests that any funds that the council may choose to appropriate in the future would be allocated to organizations that deliver programs and services in support of abortion care and access, such as the Northwest Abortion Access Fund and Independent Abortion Clinics. I want to get everybody involved here in developing this amendment for the quick work, especially during a moment when all hands are needed to prepare for the upcoming crisis in reproductive health care access. And a special thank you to Yolanda Ho on council's central staff and Christina Katsu, both from my office for their quick work in turning around this amendment. And. Q Councilmember Herbold, are there any comments on the proposed Amendment one? Seeing no comments with a clear please call the role on the adoption of Amendment One. Councilmember Peterson. Yes. Council Member. Silent. Yes. Council Member Strauss. Yes. Council Member Herbold. Yes. Council Member Morales. Yes. Council Member. Macheda. I Councilmember Nelson. I Council President Pro Tem Lewis. Yes. Eight in favor. Nine opposed. Thank you, Madam Clerk. The motion carries. Amendment One is adopted and the amended resolution as before the Council. Are there additional comments on the amended resolution that House Member Carol. Appreciate that. I just want to add a few things because I did actually have the opportunity to add some language prior to to the amendment and want to lift some of that up as well. When council members want notified the rest of us on Wednesday that she would be sponsoring this resolution as chair with oversight of Public Health and Human Services, and someone like many of us I know, have very strong feelings on this issue. I did request to work with Councilmember Solent on the drafting of the resolution. I did receive a draft on Friday, and at that point, rather than offering language before a draft was distributed, I took the opportunity with Christina's help to add some additional language to the resolution as well, and I thank the want for being willing to include it. I want to highlight again the language included lifts up sister songs concept of reproductive justice, acknowledging that there can be no choice without access to comprehensive reproductive health care. It includes a series of recitals that acknowledge limitations to access, even here in Washington state, and that is caused by almost 50% of our hospital beds being in religiously affiliated hospitals, which refuse to provide the full range of health care that patients require. It signals an intention to consider action that would ensure that patients are informed of reproductive health care available and not available to them at their health care facility. And it states specific choice for the keep our our care act that prevents health care system consolidations from moving forward if they negatively impact communities access to quality health care , including reproductive end of life and gender affirming care. Again, thank you for your willingness to incorporate all of this added language into your resolution. A This is an issue. I know it's been a very difficult week for folks. This is deeply personal and impactful to so many lives, and I believe the council does have a role to play in the crisis to come. I have made some starting inquiries with public health, whether city dollars currently support either abortion providers or whether or not funds are used to support clinics that make referrals that facilitate comprehensive women's health care, including all reproductive options. This work is only beginning to come clear. And, you know, if the Supreme Court does issue a majority opinion consistent with the draft that we've seen, the shift in abortion rights will be among the most significant the court has ever issued, in that it would deprive half of the nation of a fundamental constitutional right, long held by millions of pregnant people for nearly 50 years. We know that 20 states have laws restricting or banning abortion. Some are trigger laws that will go into effect as soon as the Supreme Court ruling. Some are oh, roe abortion bans that haven't been enforced or sorry, pre Roe abortion bans that haven't been enforced. And other laws express a clear intent of states to crack down on abortion permitted by the Supreme Court. States that continue to allow abortion will likely see a large influx of patients seeking care and parenthood, who had reported that clinics in states near Texas reported a nearly 800% increase in abortion patients from Texas as compared to the same period in the prior year. Pregnant people of color will bear the brunt of further abortion restrictions, with higher poverty rates and more difficulties traveling out of state for an abortion and limits on abortion, access can lead to negative long term health care effects and significant economic hardships that last for years, including single parenthood and higher risk of developing serious health problems. I really look forward to working with all of you and all of our community stakeholders and women's movements to ensure that access to comprehensive women's health care, including access to abortion, is a reality on the ground as well as by policy in our city. Thank you. Thank you, Councilmember Herbold. Are there any other comments on the resolution as amended? Councilmember Nelson. Thank you, Councilmember Stewart, for bringing this forward. I do think it's very important that Seattle City Council speak out and voice our strong opposition to what we think is coming down the pike here. And, well, there are some things in the in the resolution that gave me pause. I this is completely about city business and what how this will impact our our constituents, despite the fact that that access to abortion is is is is codified in in Washington state. I was talking to Courtney Norman, who is the director of the of Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, and she noted that with the influx of women, of people from other states seeking abortions, that will have a ripple effect in Washington, among Washington clinics. And. And it very well could point to the need to expand our our services that we offer at whatever clinics get our funding. And she also noted that Portland did contribute to the abortion access fund. That is something else that we might consider in the future. But the point is that this that what's happening at the national level will will impact everyone, because this is going to cause this is going to. Cause. People in states that can no longer get abortions to seek alternatives and in Washington should be a welcoming state to meet that need. Thank you. Thank you, Councilmember Nelson, are there any other comments on the resolution? I want to make closing remarks, but I was waiting for you to call them. Yes, of course, Councilmember. So I'll just briefly say really appreciate, as I said in briefing yesterday, the timeliness of the resolution councilmembers want, and you're bringing it forward. It's critical not only for us to go on the record in the strongest possible terms against the massive backsliding of abortion rights that would be represented by this potential court decision. But the implications of that decision has four other essential fundamental rights that the Court has recognized over the years that have been derived from the same privacy protections that Roe relied on, namely in Griswold, Connecticut and other important cases. But it's also critical to bring this forward for many elements of this resolution that call for our region and our city to prepare as a place that is going to be a critical hub of people being able to receive access to abortion in a in an affordable and accessible way that they won't be able to do in close by jurisdictions, particularly the state of Idaho. And that that is going to involve some resource discussions and decisions that we're going to need to make as local governments to safeguard that right and safeguard access to comprehensive health care, including the right and ability to access safe abortion procedures. So I think this is a very timely resolution and responsive appreciate the amendments Councilmember Herbold brought forward and Councilmember Swan for introducing it. So with that councilmember slot, I think that it is to you to oh, sorry, September Morales, please. My apologies. I was late on the draw there. I also want to thank Councilmember Swan and Councilmember Herbold. We did work in my office just to make sure that we were hearing from the actual abortion care providers and advocates. And everybody agrees that this is incredibly important for us to do as a city. I think we all know what this is really about. I spoke briefly at briefing yesterday, but as as we all know, this is not about abortion per se. This is about controlling women's bodies and controlling their ability to make their own decisions about their their bodies, their family, their community. So it's important that we are providing this public statement about our what we will do as a city to protect people who need this care. So I look forward to working with my colleagues to identify specifically what we are able to do as a city and to work with King County public health and with the state to make sure that we're providing as much protection as we can for people. So thank you for everyone being on board with providing this care. Thank you, Councilman Morales. Councilmember Swan, close us out on this resolution. Thank you so much, Council President Adam Lewis. I really appreciate the comments by all council members who just spoke in support of abortion rights and upholding Roe v Wade and in support of the resolution. I am also thanking all Council members in advance of the vote, in anticipation that council members will all council members will be voting yes. And I completely agree with the point that were made that we should do everything in our power as a city and as city council members to expand funding for services and show our solidarity material and actual concretely with people in other states who will need these services. And that is precisely why the resolution from office says that explicitly in the language. And that's another reason why it's good that the resolution passes today. And I hope that other city councils, you know, city councils in other cities, in other and not only in Washington did, but other states also follow this example and do this. As a socialist, though, I also feel like my duty is to go beyond that and also talk about why the why, why we are facing this attack in the first place. Just to reiterate the points that I made and speakers some of the speakers in public comment made that we are here in the first place because we have not seen the Democratic Party establishment fight in the way that needs to fight. The Democratic Party has had 50 years to have codified Roe v Wade. They could have done it in any of the periods that they had the majority in Congress. And so that's why this resolution also talks about why it is important that they push to go to fight. But I would also be very clear that I don't believe that at this moment there is enough pressure on congressional Democrats to do this. That is why this resolution is a very small but important step, in my view, to do this. Ultimately, it will be important for mass protest to turn out this week and in the coming weeks and also to be sober that just having mass protest by themselves will not be able to budge the Supreme Court from what they have decided, because this is a very determined kind of right wing that is pushing for this. That is why, in addition to mass protest, we need mass workplace action. We need militant workplace action, and we need nonviolent civil disobedience actions as well. And all of those actions should also begin a conversation about the need for what kind of political party working people need. And in my view of working people need a new party that will fight against this kind of oppression like sexism, homophobia and transphobia and attacks on people of color, especially racism against the black community. And we need a party that will actually stand with rank and file workers, both union and nonunion, in order to put forward not only the labor struggle inside the workplace, but for the labor movement to stand up in solidarity against these kinds of attacks. Thank you. Thank you. Council members want with that. Let's go ahead and call the roll on passage of the resolution. Excuse me. Council President Pro-Tem. Councilmember Muscat, I may have a word. Oh, I'm sorry. Council member Miss Skinner. Thank you, Mr. President. And sorry to be late on comments as well. I do want to emphasize my support for this. You know, in in the 12 or so hours, less than 24 hours after the announcement came out, many people were asking, what does this mean for Seattle, who's been on the record supporting Seattle, being a welcoming city for many issues, but especially on health care access. Many of us made comments in the wake of the 2017 election as well, with many concerns about how the federal election, the presidential election, was going to affect women's access and people's access to reproductive justice. And I think that the comments that we're making here today via this via this resolution, really continue to emphasize the longstanding commitment that Seattle has had to protecting folks ability to access reproductive justice. Health care is reproductive health care and appreciate the amendments that were put forward as well. I think also by today's action, folks are signaling support for continuing the discussion and beyond discussion, the commitments in the budget for the upcoming year to make sure that we continue to provide the resources. I wasn't able to comment on whether or not the Council would be able to have a unified perspective on that going into the budget deliberations. But I think that this resolution codifies that interest and I hope that that will send a united message to the executive as well as the budget is being considered for the upcoming 2023 2024 deliberations. Obviously, we want to make sure that as we consider protections, they have resources to make sure that folks have access to safe abortions, protect people who need to have freedom from harassment and assault or disruptions at those abortion clinics, and make sure that we are providing specific support for people who will be traveling in and out of our city if it comes to that. I look forward to working with our colleagues here and other localities across the country as we continue to fight back by providing resources and protection along with the necessary health care as part of the national response. And appreciate that this is a joint call for not only resources and direct action, but for congressional members to take action along with the federal delegation and president to codify in statute Roe v Wade. So looking forward to how we can continue this discussion via resources in the upcoming budget. Thanks, colleagues. Thank you, Councilmember Mascara. And with those remarks, will the clerk please call the roll on the adoption of the resolution as amended? Council member. Peterson s. Council member. So on. Yes. Council member Strauss. Yes. Council member Herbold. Yes. Council Member Morales. S. Council member. Mr.. I. Council Nelson. I. Council President Pro Tem Lewis. Yes. Eight in favor. None opposed. Thank you, Madam Clerk. The resolution is adopted as amended, and the chair will sign it. Will the clerk please affix my signature to the legislation on my behalf? Council colleagues moving on to other business before doing a general call for other business from council members, I did just want to take a brief moment to recognize that during council session we did receive an email from City Clerk Monica Simmons, recognizing our city archivist and friend Teller being recognized by the National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators with the Reading Award, which stands for Racism, Equity, Accessibility, Diversity and Inclusion Award. Recognizing Archivist Friend he has worked for until his work. In increasing the access of the Seattle City Seattle Archives and leading with equity and inclusion. I'm sure we're going to have more time to formally recognize our city archivist and celebrate her receiving this award in the coming days. But I did want to take the opportunity under new business to publicly recognize this honor for, for and for the city. With that, is there any other business from council members? Councilmember Morales. Thank you. Council President Pro Tem. I would like to request to be excused Monday and Tuesday, June 27, 27 and 28. Is there any objection to Councilmember Morales being excused on those dates? Seeing no objection. Councilman Morales. Councilmember Strauss. Do you have an objection to Councilmember Morales? Excuse me? No, sir, I don't. I have. So you're hearing that Councilman Morales is excused on those dates. Councilmember Strauss, what days do you want to be excused for? June 12th and 13. Is there any objection to Councilman being Councilmember Strauss being excused for June 12 and 13? Excuse me, Councilperson Patton. It's June. Are you referring to the city council meeting on June 14th? On. My apologies, Counselor Strauss. I may have just misheard you on. On your dates. Thank you for the clarification both at June 13th for council briefing. June 14th for full council. Okay. Is there any objection to the Councilmember Strauss being excused on those dates? Hearing no objection. Councilmember Strauss will be excused on those dates. Any other conscripts want. Thank you. I move to be excused from the city council meetings on June 7th and June 14th. Is there any objection to Councilmember Swan being excused on those days, hearing? No objection. Councilmember Swan is hereby excused on those days where that quorum will be tight on the 14th. Any other motions before the council or. Business for the good of the order. All right. Seeing none. Colleagues, that does conclude the items of business on today's agenda. Our next regularly scheduled city council meeting is on May 17, 2022 at 2 p.m.. I hope you all have a wonderful afternoon. We are adjourned.