NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Congressman Bobby Scott celebrated the anniversary of the 19th Amendment by talking about women's healthcare with providers in Newport News.
It’s a conversation he said is much needed.
“This is Women’s Equality Day, and health care is one of those areas where there is great inequity, and the Dobbs decision pointed out one of the problems,” Scott said.
Friday morning, the Democratic District 3 representative heard concerns from health providers at the Southeastern Virginia Health System. Some issues they pointed out were access to health insurance and medical care.
“One of the barriers through medical care is the fact that transportation and childcare may be challenges," Scott said. "And 'family and medical leave' is not 'paid family and medical leave.'"
He said another challenge is access to information.
Health leaders said they helped a lot of confused patients when the Supreme Court decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturned the constitutional right to abortion.
“It was a decision that was made that gave that power to the states," said Aman Tune, a national youth leader with Planned Parenthood. "So each state specifically now has the opportunity to make a decision on what that looks like for them.”
Scott said right now, the Dobbs decision doesn’t impact Virginia.
“Because we don’t have those kinds of restrictions," Scott said. "It does enable the state to impose restrictions if the state legislature, the governor wants to have those restrictions.”
Though, he said his main concern right now is to make access to healthcare equitable for women.
Scott said visits like this help him bring Hampton Roads issues to Washington, D.C. and ultimately push for legislation to enact change.