In the aftermath of North Carolina state lawmakers overriding Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's veto on a 12-week abortion restriction, four of the state's Democratic members of Congress — three of whom served in the state legislature before coming to Washington — are speaking out against the new law.

What You Need To Know


  • In the aftermath of North Carolina state lawmakers overriding Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's veto on a 12-week abortion ban, four of the state's members of Congress spoke out against the measure
  • Cooper who has vowed to block abortion restrictions in the aftermath of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade last year, vetoed the bill last Saturday at an abortion rights rally

  • Republicans, who have a veto-proof majority in the General Assembly after state Rep. Tricia Cotham switched her affiliation from Democratic to the GOP, voted Tuesday to override his veto

Cooper, who has vowed to block abortion restrictions in the aftermath of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade last year, vetoed the bill last Saturday at an abortion rights rally in downtown Raleigh, N.C. But Republicans, who have a veto-proof majority in the General Assembly after state Rep. Tricia Cotham switched her affiliation from Democrat to Republican, voted Tuesday to override his veto.

Democrat Reps. Kathy Manning, Alma Adams, Deborah Ross and Valerie Foushee, the latter three of whom previously served in the North Carolina General Assembly, told Spectrum News that they were upset and saddened by what took place on Tuesday. 

When asked whether they were surprised no Republicans voted against the abortion bill, Ross said that when she and Adams served in the General Assembly, "we had pro-choice Republicans and pro-choice Republican women."

"But those women didn't stand with their sisters, and the men in swing districts didn't listen to their constituents," Ross continued.

"This will affect women and girls' ability to get medical care down the road," Manning lamented. "It will also affect the desire of businesses to come to North Carolina." 

Republicans have said that this bill was a compromise, claiming it does not put in place restrictions, but rather guardrails for abortion. They also said that the bill is actually a compromise among members of their party, and have hinted that a more restrictive ban could be put in place in the future if more Republicans are in power.

Numerous states have already or are considering putting in place even more restrictions on abortion. North Carolina was one of the few states left in the southern United States where women could access an abortion at up to 20 weeks of pregnancy. Many of them may have to travel to Virginia or Washington, D.C., in order to obtain an abortion.

There is legislation in Congress to guarantee access to abortion under federal law, but with a divided government in control of the House and Senate, it's unlikely to go anywhere.

These North Carolina lawmakers say abortion access falls to the ballot box — and believe this is a winning issue for Democrats.

"We have got to organize," Ross said. "As [former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi] used to say, don't agonize, organize," Ross said. "And this is a powerful, powerful issue to organize on, and I believe it crosses party lines."

"I believe [abortion] it will" be a major issue in next year's elections, Adams added. "It has to be."