California congresswoman arrested during D.C. abortion rights protest

Rep. Judy Chu, D-Pasadena, on Thursday, June 30, was among more than 100 protesters arrested during a protest in support of abortion rights in Washington D.C., according to her office.

Chu — who introduced the Women’s Health Protection Act, which if passed would codify abortion rights into federal law – and the crowd were voicing disapproval of the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court.

A photo shows Chu, who represents the San Gabriel Valley’s 27th Congressional District — being arrested by Capitol Police as she sat with other protesters on a street.

“I’m not backing down, not now, not ever,” she said in a tweet showing her being arrested.

In a statement, she said:

“When I first heard Roe was overturned, I immediately thought of who would be most harmed by this decision: a young girl who is a survivor of rape, a woman who cannot afford to travel to another state to access critical care, an expecting mother with an ectopic pregnancy whose life is in danger because she cannot have an abortion,” she said in a statement. “So, when I think of all these women — and more — the decision to join in a peaceful demonstration to make clear we will not allow the clock to be rolled back on abortion rights was easy. We are in this together and we will not back down or be silenced.”

I’m not backing down—not now, not ever.#FightBackForFreedom pic.twitter.com/MECMNt7IkV

— Judy Chu (@RepJudyChu) June 30, 2022

The Supreme Court majority opinion on June 24 put the kibosh on an individual’s federally protected right to an abortion, which leaves the matter in the hands of each respective state.

Chu and several Democrats in Congress have pressed hard to end the Senate filibuster, which would give her bill an easier path to the president’s desk. The filibuster is a Senate rule that requires 60 votes to pass a bill. It essentially enables unlimited debate on a bill, which gives opponents the ability to delay and prevent a vote on legislation.

Chu’s arrest came as President Joe Biden on Thursday said in a news conference that he supported a carve-out that would end the filibuster in order to codify abortion rights and protect the right to the private, which for 50 years courts have used to uphold abortion in the United States.

Chu left no doubt after her arrest that her aim was to make that happen.

“I am ramping up my calls to abolish the Senate filibuster — and actively exploring every option to ensure we pass my bill, the Women’s Health Protection Act, which establishes a federal right to abortion care, and have it signed into law,” Chu said. “Lives are at stake and this fight is far from over.”

According to CNN, sign-bearing protesters marched to the Supreme Court, singing and chanting slogans.