After Maryland House Speaker Michael Busch proposed a constitutional amendment to enshrine a woman’s right to an abortion in the Maryland constitution and protect Maryland women from any potential Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, DNC Spokesperson Elizabeth Renda issued the following statement:

“Thanks to the leadership of Maryland House Speaker Michael Busch and his Democratic colleagues, the state of Maryland is now one step closer to constitutionally protecting a woman’s right to make decisions about her own health with her doctor.

Maryland Democrats are standing up to anti-choice aggression, and they’re showing the Trump administration and America that they govern with women’s interests and concerns top of mind. Now, more than ever, it is vital that Democrats across the country fight back against Republicans’ shameful, partisan-fueled attacks on a woman’s right to choose. It is clear that Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Kavanaugh, is a threat to women’s health, and if successfully appointed, he would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade. We know this because Trump has said it is a litmus test for his Supreme Court nominees, and because Kavanaugh has a long record of undermining women’s access to reproductive care.

“Governor Larry Hogan, who said he doesn’t think a constitutional amendment to protect reproductive rights in Maryland is ‘necessary,’ has remained shamefully silent in the face of Kavanaugh’s nomination. With an administration that is determined to control women’s bodies and choices and a governor who refuses to stand up to the Trump administration, Maryland Democrats are taking a stand to defend women’s reproductive rights. We commend Speaker Busch and the Democrats across the country who are taking action to fight back, but we know our work is far from over. The Democratic Party will never stop fighting to protect a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body with her doctor.”