In Light of Zika Crisis, Marco Rubio Doubles Down on Extreme Anti-Abortion Agenda
For Immediate Release: Aug. 8, 2016
In Light of Zika Crisis, Marco Rubio Doubles Down on Extreme Anti-Abortion Agenda
Planned Parenthood: Marco Rubio is extreme and out of touch on abortion and women’s health.
Washington. DC -- Today, Florida Senate candidate and failed presidential candidate Marco Rubio said that he doesn’t believe a pregnant woman infected with the Zika virus should have the right to an abortion — even if she had reason to believe the child would be born with severe microcephaly.
Statement from Dawn Laguens, Executive Vice President of Planned Parenthood Action Fund:
“Marco Rubio is extreme and out of touch on abortion and women’s health. Despite the growing Zika crisis in Florida, he continues to push an agenda to ban abortion with no exceptions for rape and incest, cut insurance coverage of birth control, and eliminate access to care at Planned Parenthood. As poll after poll shows, this is not what the American people want. All people deserve full access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education, services, and rights, including safe and legal abortion. It is not for Marco Rubio or anyone to shame or restrict women.”
This latest extreme stance should come as no surprise. Rubio has never minced words when he has attacked the basic reproductive health care that millions of women rely on across the country.
FACT: When it comes to abortion, Rubio is extreme.
Marco Rubio opposes safe and legal abortion: Rubio said he is adamantly against abortion, and “even if 100 percent of my constituents were for it,” he would still be against it. [Republican Majority Campaign,9/6/09]
Has said that he “personally” doesn’t believe in exceptions for rape, incest, or to save the life of the woman: On Fox News’ ‘Hannity,’ host Sean Hannity asked Rubio about his position on abortion exceptions, Rubio’s response was, ““If I’m president and the only bill that can pass is one that has exceptions, that means we’re still going to save millions of lives. But I personally believe, that life begins at conception and all human life is worthy of protection.” [FOX News,4/13/15]
Doesn’t support exceptions for rape or incest: “Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., was quick to clarify Thursday night that he did not support rape and incest exemptions in abortion bans after GOP debate host Megyn Kelly asked about his stance on the issue. He laid out his explicit opposition, noting that "future generations will look back and call us barbarians for murdering millions of babies." [International Business Times,8/6/15]
Rubio will support legislation with exceptions for rape and incest, because “I’ll support any legislation that reduces the number of abortions”: On MSNBC’s Meet the Press, he told host Chuck Todd, “I'll support any legislation that reduces the number of abortions. So, that means a 20-week abortion ban. At five months, you will recognize a child as a human being in an ultrasound image. And I'll support that. That doesn't obviously cover the whole gamut. But it reduces the number of abortions. I'll support any legislation that reduces the number of abortions. And there are those that have that exception. What I've never done is said I require that it must have or not have exceptions.”[Meet the Press,8/9/15]
Marco Rubio wants to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision: Rubio has called Roe v. Wade “devastating” [SBA List Speech, 2/1/12, accessed via YouTube,posted 2/3/12]