Murray legislation fails to get unanimous Senate approval
STAFF REPORT | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 2 months AGO
WASHINGTON, DC — A speech by an Oklahoma senator stopped an attempt by Washington Senator Patty Murray and co-sponsors to get unanimous consent to pass a bill related to women traveling for abortion services.
Senator James Lankford (R-OK) gave a speech opposing the Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act, sponsored by Murray, Catherine Cortez-Masto and Kirsten Gillibrand, (both D-NY) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).
“The legislation would protect every woman’s right to travel across state lines to receive abortion care, and to protect the providers that care for them,” Murray said in a press release issued by her office.
“It’s disgraceful that anyone would object to making sure people can travel to other states for reproductive healthcare,” Murray said in the statement.
A copy of his speech on Lankford’s website said in his opinion the bill isn’t necessary.
“No state has banned interstate travel for adult women seeking to obtain an abortion. No state has done that,” Lankford said in the speech. “Now, am I confident there are some people that are out there talking? Yes, but there’s also in this Senate 5,000 bills that have been filed, but how many of them are actually going to move? As it is in every legislature across this country, and everyone in this body knows it.”
Murray’s statement did not say whether or not efforts would be made to pass the bill without unanimous approval.
ARTICLES BY STAFF REPORT
Kennewick woman killed in Othello-area collision
OTHELLO — A Kennewick woman was killed when she ran into a semitruck at the intersection of SR 26 and South Booker Road early Thursday morning.
State Route 26 closed due to fatality collision
OTHELLO — State Route 26 is closed due to a fatality collision between a car and a semitruck near South Booker Road about four miles east of Othello, according to information from the Washington State Patrol and the Washington Department of Transportation. The road was closed about 6:30 a.m., according to the WSDOT. This is a developing story and more information will be added as it becomes available.
Coeur d'Alene to host fair housing training
Event takes place at public library in October
In this spirit, the city of Coeur d’Alene will soon provide a free “Fair Housing and Hot Topics” training. Partnering with Intermountain fair Housing Council, the event is slated for noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Coeur d’Alene Public Library Community Room, 702 E. Front Ave.