,,iii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 ,,con4 ,,res4 #bh ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #aj1 #bjbf,ms4 ,hirono 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,peters1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mr4 ,booker1 ,ms4 ,duckworth1 ,mr4 ,fetterman1 ,mr4 ,heinrich1 ,mr4 ,markey1 ,mrs4 ,murray1 ,mr4 ,padilla1 ,ms4 ,warren1 ,mr4 ,welch1 and ,mr4 ,wyden7 submitted the following concurrent resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,,concurrent ,,resolution ,expressing support for the recognition of ,march #aj1 #bjbf1 as ,abortion ,provider ,appreciation ,day4 ,whereas ,march #aj has been established as a day to show appreciation for the essential1 high-quality care that abortion providers and all staff provide to their communities and those traveling to their communities1 and to celebrate their courage1 compassion1 and dedication to their work2 ,whereas ,march #aj was selected for ,abortion ,provider ,appreciation ,day in honor of ,dr4 ,david ,gunn1 who was killed on ,march #aj1 #aiic1 outside his abortion clinic in ,pensacola1 ,florida1 by a ,white supremacist and antiabortion extremist in the first known murder of an abortion provider2 ,whereas abortions are provided in-person and through telehealth independent clinics1 ,planned ,parenthood health care centers1 hospitals1 and private offices of doctors1 and all of the staff working at those facilities are essential to ensuring patients receive needed care2 ,whereas1 on ,june #bd1 #bjbb1 the ,supreme ,court of the ,united ,states erroneously overturned ,roe v4 ,wade1 #daj ,u4,s4 #aac 7#aigc71 in ,dobbs v4 ,jackson ,women's ,health ,organization1 #eig ,u4,s4 #bae 7#bjbb7 7referred to in this preamble as the ,dobbs decision71 reversing decades of legal precedent affirming the right to an abortion and unleashing devastation on an already precarious abortion access landscape2 ,whereas ,states across the ,united ,states have moved to restrict access to abortion care1 and #bj ,states have banned some or all access to an abortion as of ,march #bjbf2 ,whereas1 because of ,state abortion bans and restrictions and ,federal attacks on sexual reproductive health1 scores of clinics and health care centers in already underserved areas and maternal health deserts have closed2 ,whereas health care center closures force abortion providers and staff out of the health care workforce2 ,whereas1 in #bjbe1 #ea ,planned ,parenthood health centers closed1 leaving patients with fewer options and higher travel costs2 ,whereas these closures force more patients to remain pregnant against their will or travel out-of-state for abortion care1 find childcare or lodging1 and raise money to cover the ever-increasing costs of an abortion and wraparound support1 as well as increase wait times and strain already thin resources2 ,whereas providers and health care center staff work to ensure access to abortion is accessible despite being strained beyond capacity2 ,whereas abortion providers and all staff play a critical role in a world where it has become increasingly difficult for individuals to receive essential and time-sensitive care once those individuals have made decisions that are right for their bodies1 lives1 and futures2 ,whereas abortion providers and all staff help to ensure that all individuals who can become pregnant can make their own decisions about their bodies and their pregnancies1 and support their decisions by treating them with dignity1 empathy1 compassion1 and respect1 despite numerous challenges due to abortion bans and restrictions2 ,whereas abortion providers and all staff play an essential role within the reproductive justice framework1 which was created by #ab ,black women in #aiid1 who formulated a human rights framework that demands every person has the human right to bodily autonomy1 which includes the right to choose if1 when1 and how to have children and the right to parent children in safe and sustainable communities2 ,whereas restrictions on abortion care have far-reaching consequences that deepen existing inequities and worsen health outcomes for pregnant people1 people giving birth1 and their families2 ,whereas people who are denied abortion care are more likely to experience high blood pressure and other serious medical conditions during the end of pregnancy1 remain in relationships where interpersonal violence is present1 and experience poverty2 ,whereas research shows that ,states that have more abortion restrictions are also ,states that have poorer maternal health outcomes2 ,whereas nearly #bg1jjj1jjj women of reproductive age1 plus more trans and nonbinary people1 do not have access to abortion where they live2 ,whereas more than half of all ,black women of reproductive age do not have access to abortion where they live2 ,whereas restricting and banning access to abortion care-- 7#a7 limits the ability of current and future providers to obtain necessary education and training in abortion care2 7#b7 exposes the remaining abortion providers and all staff to increased levels of harassment1 violence1 and politically motivated restrictions2 and 7#c7 creates and increases the out-of-pocket costs and logistical burdens that patients face to get care to a level that is sometimes insurmountable1 forcing patients to remain pregnant2 ,whereas the #bjbd ,violence and ,disruption ,report of the ,national ,abortion ,federation found that since #aigg1 there have been #aa murders1 #bf attempted murders1 #db bombings1 #bjc arsons1 #egj assaults1 #eje clinic invasions1 and thousands of other criminal incidents targeting abortion patient providers and abortion volunteers2 ,whereas the #bjbd ,violence and ,disruption ,report also found that in #bjbc and #bjbd1 there were sustained and consistent harassment and violence1 even as many clinics have closed and abortion keeps getting harder to access in some regions of this country2 ,where1 in #bjbc and #bjbd1 providers reported #c arsons1 #bh cases of assault or battery1 #ggg cases of obstruction1 #fba cases of trespassing1 and #bif death threats2 ,whereas these numbers are likely an undercount due to provider fatigue1 staff turnover1 and some clinics not having the staff or capacity to monitor or report protestors or other anti-abortion activity1 especially as they manage surges in patients2 ,whereas these incidents continued to occur under an administration that vigorously enforced the ,freedom of ,access to ,clinic ,entrances ,act 7,public ,law #ajc-bei2 #ajh ,stat4 #fid71 in stark contrast to the current administration that has pardoned antiabortion criminals and explicitly stated it will not enforce the ,freedom of ,access to ,clinic ,entrances ,act except in the most extreme cases2 ,whereas ,black1 indigenous1 and other providers and patients of color face heightened levels of threats1 harassment1 and violence as compared to their ,white counterparts2 ,whereas the current administration has emboldened individuals and groups to continue to harass and threaten the ability of abortion providers and all staff to serve their patients2 ,whereas the ,dobbs decision emboldened antiabortion individuals and groups to continue to harass providers and the patients they care for2 ,whereas abortion bans and restrictions threaten the ability of abortion providers and all staff to serve their patients2 and ,whereas1 in the face of multifaceted attacks on their work1 abortion providers remain an essential and valued part of their communities1 providing high-quality1 compassionate1 and necessary health care1 and courageously delivering that care despite pressures1 restrictions1 political interference1 and violent threats to their personal safety3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that ,congress-- 7#a7 recognizes ,abortion ,provider ,appreciation ,day on ,march #aj1 #bjbf1 to celebrate the courage1 compassion1 and high-quality care that abortion providers and staff offer to patients and their families across the ,united ,states2 7#b7 lauds communities across the ,united ,states who are proud to be home to abortion providers and staff2 7#c7 affirms the commitment of ,congress to ensuring the safety of abortion providers1 the ability of abortion providers to continue providing the essential care their patients need1 and the right of patients to access abortion care no matter where they live1 free from fear of violence1 criminalization1 or stigma2 7#d7 condemns the decisions of the ,supreme ,court of the ,united ,states1 as well as the actions of the current administration and antiabortion extremists1 to limit and stigmatize abortion care1 which has had a devastating impact on abortion providers and the communities they care for1 threatening the work and livelihoods of providers and staff1 and worsening the strain on providers who work in ,states where abortion is still available2 and 7#e7 declares a vision for a future free from all abortion restrictions and bans1 where everyone has full access to the care they need without fear of penalty or stigma1 and affirms the commitment of ,congress to working toward that goal in partnership with providers1 patients1 advocates1 and their communities4