Abortion Providers Appreciation Day Proclamation

Thank you, Dr. Kennedy - I appreciate your partnership and the work you do across the state to maintain access to reproductive healthcare.

And, thank you to everyone in this room, for the work that you do on a daily basis for those in need of medical care. In this administration and in this state, abortion is healthcare.

As providers, you all know this statistic very well:  Oregon has seen the rate of out-of-state patients seeking abortion rise since the dangerous Dobbs decision. In 2023 we saw over 1,600 individuals come to Oregon to seek health care from out-of-state – that’s nearly a 60% increase since 2022. 

Our providers, and I want to call out Planned Parenthood, OHSU, and The Lilith Clinic in particular, who are in this room, serve an important role in Oregon – and the entire region – to support abortion access, even as abortion access continues to be called into question.

I am taking an active approach to supporting your work - not just through this proclamation. 

These are uncertain times with a lot happening at the federal level – it’s a time when politics and ideology have risen above science, medical evidence, and a patient’s health and well-being. 

As your Governor, I will continue to fight to protect the relationship between providers and patients to make the right medical choices for themselves and their families. I was proud to champion the Reproductive Health Equity Act in 2017 as House Speaker and continue my commitment to Oregon providers by signing House Bill 2002 in 2023.

No matter the political climate, you should be able to continue providing the care to patients who need it. That’s why my administration extended that stockpile of mifepristone through September 2028 for Oregon this past November  and why I continue to have conversations with providers and agencies on ways to limit disruptions to care. It’s also why I’m partnering with Attorney General Dan Rayfield to protect the access to care that you provide to patients who need it.

I hope that this proclamation today is another demonstration of how I remain committed to protecting abortion care and the work you do.

And with that, here’s the proclamation.