ICYMI: Allred Op-ed in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: ‘Blocking Texas women from driving to another state for abortions is un-American’

Dallas, TX — In case you missed it, Congressman Colin Allred wrote an op-ed for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal on the disturbing new trend of Texas municipalities banning women from driving on their roads for the purpose of fleeing the state to get reproductive care – with Lubbock County being the largest yet to do so. 

Key excerpts from Allred’s op-ed in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal:

• “We cannot allow this kind of Orwellian police state to take root. This is Texas. We believe in freedom: to live your life, to make decisions about your own body and health, to travel where you want and to do so without interference from the government. These travel bans are not who we are as Texans, as evidenced by the fact that only 23% of Texans approve of these absurd restrictions.”
• “We cannot allow Ted Cruz and a small, extremist minority to force this dangerous ideology upon all Texans. Texas women deserve the right to get the reproductive health care they need, close to home, without fear of criminalization or invasion of their privacy.”
• “Pairing our state’s abortion ban with an interstate travel ban is turning Texas women into prisoners in their own state. The women of Lubbock County, and across Texas, deserve freedom, not subjugation.”

In Congress, Allred has long been a champion for Texans’ reproductive freedom. He helped the House pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would codify Roe v. Wade – but the bill failed in the Senate, where Ted Cruz voted against it. 

Allred is also a proud cosponsor of Rep. Lizzie Fletcher’s Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act, legislation that would protect women’s constitutional right to interstate travel without government interference. In addition, Allred voted last year for the Right to Contraception Act, which would protect Texas women’s ability to access contraception.