Women Confront GOP Attacks in Statehouses and Demand Transparency in Congress

As Texas escalates its war on women, survivors of Jeffrey Epstein take the fight to Congress.

To ring in the end of Texas’ second special session last week (you may recall the first session was successfully derailed by Democratic lawmakers’ two-week walkout), Republican state lawmakers went after abortion providers. On Wednesday, the final day of the special session, lawmakers approved SB 33, a bill that lets private citizens sue abortion pill manufacturers, doctors, or anyone who mails or assists in securing the medication. In a state that already bans most abortions, the law poses a threat to one of the last viable ways to obtain an abortion without leaving the state.

Ever the ones to have their priorities straight, Texas lawmakers also passed a bill that prevents trans people from using the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity in public buildings (“after a decade and more than 16 tries“) and a new congressional map pushed by President Donald Trump, expected to give the GOP as many as five extra seats in the U.S. House in next year’s midterms.

Laws like these spell out a simple truth at the core of the current Republican agenda, and our current moment: It is unsafe to be a woman in today’s America. And that situation is by design—whether through abortion restrictions, questioning the safety of the most effective forms of contraception, or RFK Jr.’s targeting of safe and effective vaccines, and other proven public health interventions that save lives. We will all suffer the consequences—regardless of our politics. 

As red states continue their anti-feminist crusades, lawmakers and public officials in blue states are doubling down on expanding access to abortion care.

Late last month, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law that requires public colleges and universities to ensure that students have access to medication abortion and contraception, as contributing editor Carrie Baker reports for Ms. this week. The state joins California, Massachusetts and New York in requiring student health centers to offer abortion pills. “As Donald Trump and his administration continue to pull every lever they can to rip rights away from women, Illinois is making sure every woman, at every stage of life, can get the legal care they need from providers they trust,” said Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton.

Last week marked another bittersweet milestone for feminists and survivors: We got to hear the words of women victimized by Jeffrey Epstein, who bravely chose to raise their voices and speak out on Capitol Hill. They implored Congress to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

“This is about ending secrecy wherever abuse of power takes root,” said Anouska De Georgiou, one of the victims who spoke. “If this Congress is serious about justice, then let this moment also affirm your commitment to provide victims with the legal aid they need.”

Ms. photojournalist Jenny Warburg was at the press conference, and a private event with survivors and their families the evening before.

This is not the first time some of these women have spoken about the abuse they endured. Many more of Epstein’s victims have made official reports to federal and state authorities, only to have those reports buried and not investigated. “The fact of the matter is this is a cover up. This is a massive cover up,” said U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), who was a former assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York. “They’re not just stonewalling. They’re trying to do it through charades and sleight of hand, so to speak, but … they are covering something up.” 

Let us all be inspired by their bravery in our fights ahead. We are going to need it.