Rep. Cori Bush Tells Her Survivor Story In Defense Of Abortion

On Thursday, the House Oversight Committee held a hearing to examine the threat to abortion rights and access in light of the state of Texas' recent abortion ban. Rep. Cori Bush bravely told her survivor story, saying when she was 16 years old she was raped and had an abortion. The committee also heard from Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington and California Reps. Barbara Lee and Judy Chu.

We stream our live show every day at 12 PM ET.



We need your help to keep providing free videos! Support the Majority Report's video content by going to http://www.Patreon.com/MajorityReport



Watch the Majority Report live M–F at 12 p.m. EST at youtube.com/samseder or listen via daily podcast at http://Majority.FM



Download our FREE app: http://majorityapp.com



SUPPORT the show by becoming a member: http://jointhemajorityreport.com

We Have Merch!!! http://shop.majorityreportradio.com



LIKE us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/MajorityReport



FOLLOW us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/MajorityFM



SUBSCRIBE to us on YouTube: http://youtube.com/SamSeder

Sam: There was a house oversight and reform committee hearing they are talking about passing a bill in the house. They're providing experiences you know and a lot of this is in anticipation of what the supreme court may do both in terms of texas and in terms of I think it's Mississippi that has a case up there in terms of reversing Roe v Wade. Here is Cori Bush testifying about her experience of getting an abortion after she was raped in 1994.
Emma: She was 16 years old.
Sam: 16 years old. Here is her testimony from yesterday in the house.
Cori Bush: So to all the black women and girls who have had abortions and will have abortions we have nothing to be ashamed of. We live in a society that has failed to legislate love and justice for us. So we deserve better. we do we demand better. We are worthy of better. So that's why I’m here to tell my story so today I sit before you as that nurse as that pastor as that activist that survivor that single mom that congresswoman to testify that in the summer of 1994 I was raped I became pregnant and I chose to have an abortion. I yield.
Emma: It's amazing to have her in congress.
Sam: Yep and there was testimony from others. I think Pramila Jayapal spoke about her abortion. I think when she was if I’m not mistaken she was going through all sorts of problems. Had already had a child. Well, we talked about this the other day.
Emma: And Barbara Lee spoke about how she got an abortion at a young age as well and had to go to Mexico to have that procedure because she was unable to do so where she was. And you know despite the fact that I can't remember which right-winger was it was it Crowder or one of these idiots was talking about like you know or Shapiro we need moms. We need moms. Moms are better for the country. moms get abortions. Future moms. Existing moms. They get abortions.
Emma: And I just want to put this in context too of what Missouri is going through because Cori Bush specifically you know that's the state representative from that state. Right now Missouri is taking their cues from texas and this is what's going to happen in a lot of these right-wing states because the supreme court basically gave them the green light to do so. They're trying to ban abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy and there's it's being tied up in court but this is a part of the larger effort where these republican state legislatures are going to keep trying to do this. So it just puts it in context of why her testimony is so important given what's happening in her own state specifically. It's not just texas even though that has the highest-profile case there. Right? This is an eight-week ban. The texas one is six weeks. And so what it remains to be seen but it's obviously immensely important to have her voice in so many ways. The fact that she was houseless at one point. The fact that she was a black lives matter activist. The fact that she had this experience. The fact that she's a survivor of rape and sexual assault. Like there are so many things that she brings to congress that I like it's just immeasurable and I don't want that to get lost in the fray.
Sam: Well said.