With Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement, the right to access abortion safely and legally in this country is on the line. But we don’t need to wait for a Supreme Court ruling – reproductive rights are under threat right now with the Trump administration’s proposed gag rule.

The gag rule would make it illegal for doctors, nurses, hospitals, community health centers and any other provider in the Title X program to tell patients how they can safely and legally access abortion. It will also impose new rules that will make it impossible for patients to get care at Planned Parenthood, meaning millions of people will not get the health care they need – birth control, cancer screenings, sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment, or even annual exams.

We’ve never had a gag rule in this country. We shouldn’t have one now. Doctors need to be able to tell their patients all their options and patients need to be able to trust their doctors to be honest with them.

This isn’t the first time the Trump administration has attacked access to health care and it probably won’t be the last. But every time they’ve tried, we’ve fought back.

We have to keep fighting to make sure everyone gets the health care they want or need, without politicians controlling when, how or why.

Ryan Knipple

Portland

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