Issue Position: Reproductive Choice

Issue Position

As a father of three girls, I understand that decisions about when to start a family, whether or not to use contraception, and whether to terminate a pregnancy are some of the most personal an individual and her family can make. Roe v. Wade was correctly decided -- there is a constitutional right of privacy that encompasses decisions like whether to use contraception and whether to choose an abortion. Because the U.S. Constitution firmly protects an individual's fundamental right to make her own choices with regard to her reproductive health, it would be unconstitutional for a state to outlaw or severely restrict reproductive rights.

Reproductive choice is a sensitive issue that touches many of us on a personal, moral, and religious level. People on different sides of this issue often have difficulty coming to a consensus. I think advocates on both sides of the issue can agree that we should work together to make abortions rare, and to make all reproductive medical procedures as safe as possible. We should work towards a consensus by focusing on improving health outcomes -- reducing the number of abortions and improving prenatal care, for instance -- to ensure broad access to family planning and contraceptive services, to prevent unwanted pregnancies and involve medical professionals earlier in the reproductive process so as to avoid late-term abortions and unnecessary health problems during the course of a pregnancy.

Beyond these practical medical steps, for me this issue comes down to making sure that our mothers, wives and daughters, and not the government, have the freedom to make the decisions that are best for them. I am serving in the U.S. Senate so that I can make sure that we leave this country in a better place for the next generation. I will work hard to defend the rights of my girls to govern their own reproductive health from government intrusion.

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