Americans Want Progress, Not Extremism

American voters understood the assignment. Problems viewing this email? [View it in your browser]( [Center for American Progress]( InProgress from the Center for American Progress Progressive Victories this Week [Abortion rights supporters celebrate and cheer, holding up signs that say Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights]( American voters overwhelmingly affirmed reproductive rights this Election Day. [Ohioans voted “yes” on Issue 1]( which amended the state constitution to codify the right to reproductive health care, including abortion. In Virginia and Kentucky, voters elected pro-abortion candidates. The new constitutional amendment in Ohio comes after months of [confusion on the legal status of abortion in the Buckeye State](. Currently, abortion is legal up to 22 weeks. However, after last year’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, the state’s attorney general immediately petitioned a federal judge to enforce a 2019 law that banned abortion after six weeks. This ban, which did not include exceptions for instances of rape or incest, remained in effect until a lawsuit indefinitely blocked it. But during the 82 days the law was in effect, [abortion care costs]( and many people were forced to cross state lines to get abortions. And make no mistake: [Women who need maternal health care are dying]( Ohio. Abortion restrictions affect maternal mortality; Ohio currently [leads the nation]( in the greatest number of women affected by shortages and lack of access to maternity care in the United States, making pregnancy outcomes much more dangerous for both the mother and the infant. These maternal mortality rates are also an issue of racial justice, as [Black women and other women of color are dying at disproportionate rates](. Republican lawmakers in Ohio already tried to change their state constitution to make it harder to pass Issue 1 in an [August special election](. They decisively failed. Ohioans’ decision to approve Issue 1 is an outright rejection of Dobbs and efforts to reject reproductive justice for all. Abortion rights were at stake in Virginia too, where a narrow, five-seat Democratic majority in the state Senate was the only thing stopping MAGA legislators from enacting extreme abortion restrictions. The impact of this could extend beyond the border, as Virginia is [the only Southern state]( that hasn’t completely restricted abortion post-Roe—so millions of women across the South rely on it for abortion access. These results are clear: Americans continue to reject anti-abortion candidates and instead are voting to shore up reproductive health care access, including abortion care. Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court should take note: Extreme anti-abortion proposals are not welcome. [Read more about the victory in Ohio.]( The Right to Reproductive Health Care Everyone deserves the right to make informed decisions about their reproductive health, and access to abortion is a fundamental part of that. As anti-abortion legislators continue to attack access to abortion, we must protect individuals' reproductive rights and autonomy nationwide. [Take action]( now by calling on the Supreme Court to preserve and protect access to safe and accessible abortion care. [Add Your Name]( Live From the Supreme Court This Week [We rallied with advocates and survivors at the Supreme Court]( to demand protection for domestic violence survivors, not guns. The outcome of [United States v. Rahimi]( will have consequences for everyone, and we have to fight back. [A screenshot of a tweet that reads: The Supreme Court needs to be held accountable to survivors of domestic violence. The outcome of U.S. v. Rahimi will impact everyone. ]( [Learn More]( Improving Road Safety To Save Lives On what should have been her son Jonny's 16th birthday, [Suzan Smith reflects on the tragic loss]( of her child, who was killed by a speeding driver four years ago while walking home from school. In this powerful op-ed, Smith discusses how her grief turned to activism as she advocated for safer infrastructure. In 2021, the Biden administration passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, investing more than $13 billion to enhance road safety in the United States. For Suzan Smith, this investment was a crucial glimmer of hope. These funds more than doubled the U.S. Department of Transportation's investment in safety, benefiting local communities and paving the way for safer roads for pedestrians and cyclists. Even among the pain of losing her son, Smith is “committed to making sure no other parent has to spend a birthday mourning their baby.” For her, the investments from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act make that hope closer to becoming reality. [Read Suzan's Story]( ICYMI: Tackling the Climate Crisis and Building Resilient and Equitable Communities With the Inflation Reduction Act Earlier today, CAP partnered with the CLEO Institute to host a virtual event with Miami-Dade County, Florida, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Tampa, Florida, Mayor Jane Castor to discuss the impacts of the climate crisis in Florida and how Inflation Reduction Act funds can be used to invest in their communities’ climate plans. The mayors, alongside CAP Senior Fellow Cathleen Kelly, joined a conversation moderated by CLEO Institute Executive Director Yoca Arditi-Rocha to celebrate climate wins in Florida and to discuss how local leaders around the country can utilize Inflation Reduction Act and other federal funds to create more resilient and equitable communities. Watch the event recording [here](. And for more information about how Florida can continue to tap into the Inflation Reduction Act funds to tackle the climate crisis, read the latest report from CAP and the CLEO Institute [here](. Follow us on [Follow us on Twitter]( [Follow us on Facebook]( [Follow us on YouTube]( [Follow us on Instagram]( [Support CAP]( [Manage Email Preferences or Unsubscribe]( [Privacy Policy]( [Center for American Progress]( Center for American Progress 1333 H Street NW Washington, D.C. 20005 [supporter]