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| 'We need this bill to die': the Alabama Democrat fighting for abortion rights | 'We need this bill to die': the Alabama Democrat fighting for abortion rights |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Alabama state senator Bobby Singleton was angry, pounding the lectern as he objected to a move to advance a bill to ban all abortions in his state. | Alabama state senator Bobby Singleton was angry, pounding the lectern as he objected to a move to advance a bill to ban all abortions in his state. |
| He was furious at what he saw as an improper procedural maneuver by the state’s lieutenant governor, but also angry for the women of his rural Alabama district, who already face high infant mortality rates and struggle to access healthcare as hospitals close. | He was furious at what he saw as an improper procedural maneuver by the state’s lieutenant governor, but also angry for the women of his rural Alabama district, who already face high infant mortality rates and struggle to access healthcare as hospitals close. |
| 'It goes after Roe directly': Alabama's abortion bill set to go before state senate | 'It goes after Roe directly': Alabama's abortion bill set to go before state senate |
| Singleton was objecting last week to an effort by Republicans to strip an exception for rape and incest from legislation to criminalize abortion without a roll-call vote, triggering chaotic scenes between opposing politicians. | |
| Video of the disruption went viral, as women around the country saw Singleton as channeling their own anger over bills to ban or severely restrict abortion that have advanced in a growing number of states. | Video of the disruption went viral, as women around the country saw Singleton as channeling their own anger over bills to ban or severely restrict abortion that have advanced in a growing number of states. |
| “Thank you for being as angry as I was Senator Bobby Singleton,” one Twitter user wrote. | “Thank you for being as angry as I was Senator Bobby Singleton,” one Twitter user wrote. |
| The vote on the abortion bill was postponed last week, but the senate will take it up again on Tuesday. | |
| Singleton vowed to continue the fight, saying he will attempt to get the rape and incest exception, which a number of Republicans support, added back to the bill. The legislation’s sponsors oppose the amendment and say including it could kill the bill. | Singleton vowed to continue the fight, saying he will attempt to get the rape and incest exception, which a number of Republicans support, added back to the bill. The legislation’s sponsors oppose the amendment and say including it could kill the bill. |
| “Respectfully, as a man, I just have no right to tell a woman what she can do with her body,” Singleton, the Democratic minority leader of the state senate, told the Guardian. “And I don’t think that 27 white men on the other side of the aisle, who have a super-majority, have the right to do that. And I will continue to fight that fight. | |
| “I will filibuster it. I will use every procedural technique there is not to even allow this bill to come to a vote,” Singleton added. | “I will filibuster it. I will use every procedural technique there is not to even allow this bill to come to a vote,” Singleton added. |
| It is an uphill fight, since Republicans control state government with large majorities. | |
| But Singleton said the legislation is dangerous for women in his district in Greensboro, Alabama, including those with wanted pregnancies. | But Singleton said the legislation is dangerous for women in his district in Greensboro, Alabama, including those with wanted pregnancies. |
| Poverty is high, jobs are scarce, and rural hospitals are closing. The hospital in Demopolis closed its labor and delivery unit, leaving women to travel 40 or 50 miles to give birth, Singleton said. The abortion legislation, which threatens doctors with up to 99 years in prison for performing an abortion, could cause more doctors to leave the state. | Poverty is high, jobs are scarce, and rural hospitals are closing. The hospital in Demopolis closed its labor and delivery unit, leaving women to travel 40 or 50 miles to give birth, Singleton said. The abortion legislation, which threatens doctors with up to 99 years in prison for performing an abortion, could cause more doctors to leave the state. |
| “So here we are standing on that ledge, where we may lose more quality healthcare. Doctors are talking about leaving our area,” he said. “The infant mortality rate in my district is real high because of the lack of healthcare. So that’s why we need this bill to die.” | “So here we are standing on that ledge, where we may lose more quality healthcare. Doctors are talking about leaving our area,” he said. “The infant mortality rate in my district is real high because of the lack of healthcare. So that’s why we need this bill to die.” |
| Alabama | Alabama |
| Abortion | Abortion |
| Health | Health |
| Roe v Wade | Roe v Wade |
| news | news |
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