Blumenthal Calls to Strengthen Protections Against Physical Attacks on Nurses, Doctors & Patients Seeking Reproductive Health Care

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, on the three-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that overturned Roe v. Wade, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) spoke at a spotlight forum highlighting the ways that reproductive health care and access to abortion are coming under attack by the Trump Administration. During the hearing, Blumenthal spoke with panelists who have suffered the consequences of the Dobbs decision and subsequent abortion bans and called for the strengthening of the FACE Act, legislation that makes it illegal to harm, threaten, or interfere with an individual receiving or facilities providing reproductive health services.

“I’ve been involved in enforcing the FACE Act in Connecticut, and I know there is talk from time to time about repealing the FACE Act. The President pardoned 23 people who were convicted of violating the FACE Act—which in my view is absolutely abhorrent and unacceptable,” said Blumenthal. “But I’d like to know from you whether, particularly Ms. Chelian, what kind of protections are important, whether they need to be strengthened, whether you feel more secure because of the FACE Act rather than repealing it, whether they need to be strengthened?”

“Well, yes, the FACE Act needs to be strengthened. When we walk into the clinic in the morning and protestors are doing the kind of heinous things that they’re doing—videotaping patients, trying to put their pictures on the internet, screaming and yelling and threatening them, intimidating and harassing them… We need FACE strengthened, not repealed. We won’t last if it’s repealed,” said Renee Chelian, Founder and CEO of Northland Family Planning Centers in Michigan.

“House Republicans are trying to repeal the FACE Act—shockingly, right after the IVF clinic bombing in California, they started, which is horrific. I think what we’re seeing now in context though, it’s the FACE Act repeals, but it’s also the pardoning of the January 6 insurrectionists, it’s the climate and culture of fostering extremism in this country, and an Administration that is willing to pardon folks like that sends a very clear, chilling signal to the rest of the country that it’s open season on our providers,” said Mini Timmaraju, President and CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All.

A video of Blumenthal’s full interaction can be found here, and a transcript can be found below.

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): Thanks to Senator Murray and all of our great advocates who have been here already, and to all of you champions, and to many in the room, who have been advocates for a very long time. I’ve been involved in enforcing the FACE Act in Connecticut. People think Connecticut is a blue state with no threat to reproductive freedoms, but in fact, we have strong laws, we also have people who are ready, willing, and able to block access to the clinics that serve our people—and increasingly, people from out of state because we have also moved to protect in our state laws the doctors who serve women coming from out of state. And, I know there is talk from time to time about repealing the FACE Act. The President pardoned 23 people who were convicted of violating the FACE Act—which in my view is absolutely abhorrent and unacceptable. But I’d like to know from you whether, particularly Ms. Chelian, what kind of protections are important, whether they need to be strengthened, whether you feel more secure because of the FACE Act rather than repealing it, whether they need to be strengthened.

Renee Chelian: Well, yes, the FACE Act needs to be strengthened. When we walk into the clinic in the morning and protestors are doing the kind of heinous things that they’re doing—videotaping patients, trying to put their pictures on the internet, screaming and yelling and threatening them, intimidating and harassing them, particularly women of color and Muslim women, there’s a large Muslim population in my area, and then they try to pick fights with the husbands, boyfriends, or fathers of patients because they hope to get one of them arrested and be able to prosecute, press charges, and then subpoena clinic records to get the names of all the patients that are there that day to be so-called “witnesses.” We need FACE strengthened, not repealed. We won’t last if it’s repealed.

Blumenthal: Any others have opinions on that issue?

Mini Timmaraju: Thanks, Senator. So, House Republicans are trying to repeal the FACE Act—shockingly, right after the IVF clinic bombing in California they started, which is horrific. I started my career working at a Planned Parenthood in Houston Texas, where we also used to have to cross throngs of protestors harassing our doctors. Our medical director wore a bulletproof vest to work. So, we’re all too familiar with the death of Dr. Tiller. I think what we’re seeing now in context though, it’s the FACE Act repeals, but it’s also the pardoning of the January 6 insurrectionists, it’s the climate and culture of fostering extremism in this country, and an Administration that is willing to pardon folks like that sends a very clear, chilling signal to the rest of the country that it’s open season on our providers.

Chelian: Many of the January 6 insurrectionists were recognized by clinics across the country because they are our protestors. And clinics got in touch with DOJ and provided names of those people to help aid in arrest. I mean, those are the people who are at our clinics on a regular basis. They don’t care about the law, you know that firsthand.

Blumenthal: And, I might just add that the FACE Act can be enforced by state authorities as well as federal—I did as Attorney General of our state. I think we will be entering a period where we’ll rely more on state Attorneys General because I’m not so sure this Department of Justice is going to be zealous.

Timmaraju: And some states are passing their own state-level FACE Acts in anticipation of a repeal of FACE.

Blumenthal: Just a final comment. I introduced the Women’s Health Protection Act—around 15 years ago, I think—at a time when overruling Roe v. Wade seemed like a nightmare that could never happen. And here we are. Women’s Health Protection Act is alive and well. With leadership from Senator Baldwin and Senator Murray, we’re going to pursue it again. We’re not giving up. It may seem like a bleak and dark time, but I want to assure all of you that the Women’s Health Protection Act is essential to protecting women and families from the kinds of abuses that we see in many of our state legislatures. I don’t know how many hundreds there are now in restrictive proposals in our state legislature that have been offered, but we need to keep faith on the Women’s Health Protect Act, and I want to thank all of you again for your advocacy and your support. It really means so much to have you on our side.

And this is an issue for men as well as women. This issue is about men because it’s about health care. Health care is a human right. Women’s health care is a human right. Men should care about it as much as women.

And I’m glad that we’ve been joined by a real advocate, my colleague Senator Welch, who is also a steadfast champion. But again, my thanks to Chair Murray, I think you’re Chair right now. Thank you very much.

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