Three Senate Republicans who oppose abortion blocked a bipartisan bill that would afford pregnant people basic workplace accommodations such as a water bottle, a stool or extra bathroom breaks.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) opposed a vote on the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act late last week, inaccurately claiming that it would force employers to “provide accommodations such as leave to obtain abortions on demand under the guise of pregnancy-related condition.” Tillis, a vocal abortion opponent, spoke on the Senate floor on Thursday on behalf of himself and two of his Republican colleagues, Sens. James Lankford (Okla.) and Steve Daines (Mont.).
But the bill would do no such thing. Instead, it offers basic protections for pregnant workers, including reasonable accommodations often not afforded to pregnant women who continue working throughout their pregnancies. And most other Republicans are on board with the legislation.
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act has received an overwhelming amount of bipartisan support. Anti-abortion Republicans are hoping to support fetuses and mothers, while Democrats are looking to support pregnant people in a post-Roe v. Wade landscape.
The bill passed out of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) in a 19-2 vote and passed out of the House with massive bipartisan support. Republican Sens. Mike Braun (IN) and Tommy Tuberville (AL) were the only members of the HELP Committee to vote against the legislation, though neither opposed unanimous consent in the Senate.
“It is the highest hypocrisy that lawmakers are blocking the passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act… at a time where millions of Americans cannot access abortion care and may be forced to carry pregnancies to term that they do not want or planned for, and can then be legally pushed out of their jobs,” said Dana Sussman, the acting executive director of Pregnancy Justice.
