,,iii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 ,,con4 ,,res4 #i ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #aj1 #bjbe,ms4 ,hirono 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,peters1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mr4 ,booker1 ,ms4 ,duckworth1 ,mr4 ,fetterman1 ,mr4 ,heinrich1 ,mrs4 ,murray1 ,mr4 ,padilla1 ,ms4 ,warren1 ,mr4 ,welch1 ,mr4 ,wyden1 and ,mr4 ,markey7 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 #bjbe1 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 instance of the murder of an abortion provider2 ,whereas abortions are provided in-person and through telehealth by facilities such as 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 #ai ,states have banned some or all access to an abortion as of ,march #bjbe2 ,whereas1 because of ,state abortion bans and restrictions1 scores of clinics and health care centers in already underserved areas and maternal health deserts have closed1 forcing more patients to remain pregnant against their will or to travel out-of-,state for abortion care1 increasing wait times1 straining already thin resources1 and pushing people farther and farther away from their homes2 ,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 the decisions of their patients 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 individuals seeking abortion care across the ,united ,states also rely on the work of abortion funds and practical support organizations to access abortion care for themselves and their families2 ,whereas abortion funds and practical support organizations that rely on donations face increasing demand following the ,dobbs decision as individuals are forced to travel longer distances1 find childcare or lodging1 and raise money to cover the ever-increasing costs of an abortion and wraparound support2 ,whereas the network of abortion funds1 clinics1 providers1 and supporters that work to ensure access to abortion is being strained beyond capacity2 ,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 the effects of the ,dobbs decision were immediate and disastrous1 with #ab ,states completely banning access to abortion care as of ,march #bjbe2 ,whereas more than #be1jjj1jjj women of reproductive age1 plus more trans and nonbinary people1 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 #bjbb ,violence and ,disruption ,report of the ,national ,abortion ,federation found an alarming escalation in incidents of obstruction1 vandalism1 and trespassing at abortion clinics1 with abortion providers reporting an alarming rate of death threats and threats of harm1 and documented #bah of such incidents in #bjbb2 ,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 has emboldened antiabortion individuals and groups to continue to harass providers and the patients they care for2 ,whereas the ,dobbs decision threatens 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 #bjbe1 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 liberated 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