Anti-Abortion Republicans Block Bill To Give Pregnant Workers Basic Accommodations

Source: HuffPost

Anti-Abortion Republicans Block Bill To Give Pregnant Workers Basic Accommodations

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and two Republican senators blocked a vote on the bipartisan bill, inaccurately claiming it would support “abortions on demand.”

By Alanna Vagianos
Dec 13, 2022, 01:35 PM EST
Updated 2 hours ago

Three Senate Republicans who oppose abortion blocked a bipartisan bill that would afford pregnant people basic workplace accommodations, such as a water bottle, a stool or extra bathroom breaks.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) opposed a vote on the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act late last week, inaccurately claiming that it would force employers to “provide accommodations such as leave to obtain abortions on demand under the guise of pregnancy-related condition.” Tillis, a vocal abortion opponent, spoke on the Senate floor on Thursday on behalf of himself and two of his Republican colleagues, Sens. James Lankford (Okla.) and Steve Daines (Mont.).

“I and a number of other people do not believe that abortion is health care. I believe it’s a brutal procedure that destroys an innocent child,” Tillis said. “The federal government should not be promoting abortion, let alone mandating that pro-life employers and employers in states that protect life facilitate abortion on demand.” Tillis, Lankford and Daines did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s requests for comment.

But the bill would do no such thing. Instead, it offers basic protections for pregnant workers, including reasonable accommodations often not afforded to pregnant women who continue working throughout their pregnancies. And most other Republicans are on board with the legislation.

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act has received an overwhelming amount of bipartisan support. ...

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Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/anti-choice-republicans-block-bill-that-gives-pregnant-workers-basic-accommodations_n_6398a7e3e4b019c696261d00