O’Dea Opposed The Women’s Health Protection Act And Called It “Reckless.” According to Colorado Newsline, “‘I don’t support a total ban early in the pregnancy or for certain emergencies, but I do oppose both Polis’ and Schumer’s reckless late-term abortion bills,’ he said, referring to the recently enacted Reproductive Health Equity Act and the Women’s Health Protection Act, which failed in the Senate in May. In Colorado, RHEA codified existing abortion access into state law.” [Colorado Newsline, 6/3/22]
O’Dea Was “Adamantly Against” The Women’s Health Protection Act. According to Joe O’Dea for Senate, “Joe O’Dea strongly supports a nationwide ban on late-term abortion, a nationwide ban on taxpayer funding for abortion, a nationwide parental choice requirement, and will fight any attempt to make religious hospitals perform a procedure they object to. Joe is adamantly against Chuck Schumer’s late term abortion bill, and strongly opposes Jared Polis’ late-term abortion bill.” [Joe O’Dea For Senate, accessed 7/1/22]
O’Dea: “Bennet Voted Yes On Was A Federalization Of This Reckless Practice. I Can’t Support That. I Won’t Support That” “A: Well, you know, it's been in Washington too long. I mean, his idea of running Washington is to be a rubber stamp. That's not my idea. I can tell you right now, I'm a stand on my own. I've been very honest with where I stand. And I know not everyone agrees with me on my stand on abortion, and I respect that. But then it's extreme. He supports a late term abortion bill that was just signed into law, same one as Polis. Schumer's bill that Bennet voted yes on was a federalization of this reckless practice. I can't support that. I won't support that. I won't support a late term bill. I won't support using tax dollars. I won't support requiring religious institutions to perform a procedure that they don't want to perform. And I don't support a ban early on in the pregnancy for rape, incest or medical necessity. And I've been very clear about that. I believe that decisions between a woman and her doctor and I believe the government shouldn't be involved in every aspect of our lives. But if a bill comes across my desk that that that has all of those in it, then I'm going to be OK with that.” [Fox News Rundown, 7/9/22]
Women’s Health Protection Act Effectively Codified A Right To An Abortion. According to NPR, ‘The Women's Health Protection Act, a Democrat-led bill that would effectively codify a right to an abortion, failed to pass, as expected, after it did not reach the Senate's 60-vote threshold. All Democrats voted for the legislation except Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and all Republicans opposed the bill. In a rare occurrence, Vice President Kamala Harris presided over the vote, which was 49-51.” [NPR, 5/11/22]
[VIDEO] O’Dea Said That There Needed To Be Limits On “Late Term Abortion” And The Bill In Colorado Was A “Reckless, Terrible Bill.” O’DEA: ‘I think that leak is BS and it was intentional, odds of us winning on policy are in our favor so to level the playing field they leaked the memo; My wife and I have talked a lot about this but I’m not running on social issues, I don’t think social issues are what’s important to good working Coloradans right now; People ask me where I am on it and I can tell you that I believe we need limits on late term abortion, what we’ve run in CO is reckless, terrible bill; Schumer ran the same bill a couple of days ago and it’s terrible; We don’t need limits early on in the pregnancy, that’s between a woman and her doctor; We talk about not growing government, we don’t want them involved in everything in our lives; That’s where I land on it, but I’m also adopted so it’s a personal issue for me; I don’t know my mom or dad but they must have been brave, strong people to have carried a full term pregnancy and put me up for adoption, I’m grateful for it; Focus on adoption and making that easier, further tax breaks, etc to encourage that; That’s where I land on the issue, thank you for coming out; you guys know how this works, I’m raising good money but I need the help; Anything we can get helps, reach out to your neighbors about the campaign, volunteer to help us with phone calls, raise awareness, this is the year; We have to band together, be disciplined, get our info out and let the people of CO weigh in on this campaign, thank you very much, I appreciate you having me; Thank you.’” [Log Cabin Republicans of Colorado Board Meeting, 5/17/2022]
O’Dea Denounced The Reproductive Health Equity Act for allowing “Third Term Abortions”. According to Colorado Times Recorder, “'Well, actually, if [Roe v. Wade] gets overturned, it’s going to push it to the states,' said O’Dea in response to a question about what kind of legislation he would support around abortion. 'And this bill [Reproductive Health Equity Act] that just came through at our gold dome, that Polis signed a couple of weeks ago, to me, it’s reckless, it approves third-term abortions, and I’m not in favor of that. So it’s going to be a local-level issue.'” [Colorado Times Recorder, 4/22/22]
[AUDIO] O’Dea Said That Reproductive Health Equity Act Was “Outrageous.” “But it's an extremely complicated issue and everybody has different experiences and they're coming out it differently. You know, at the core of it, government needs to get out of our lives. So that's kind of where I'm going to land. TUBBS: ‘But but more restrictions on abortion than what we have in Colorado right now.’ O’DEA: ‘Yes. That that last law is outrageous.” [Steffan Tubbs Show, 4/27/2022]
O’Dea Did Not Support A Total Ban On Early Term Abortions, But Rejected The Reproductive Health Equity Act And The Women’s Health Protection Act. According to Durango Herald, “'I don't support a total ban early in the pregnancy or for certain emergencies, but I do oppose both Polis' and Schumer's reckless late-term abortion bills,' he said, referring to the recently enacted Reproductive Health Equity Act and the Women's Health Protection Act, which failed in the Senate in May. In Colorado, RHEA codified existing abortion access into state law.” [Durango Herald, 7/6/22]
Reproductive Health Equity Act Codified Protections For The Full Range Of Reproductive Care, Including Abortions, And Makes It So That A Fertilized Egg, Embryo Or Fetus Does Not Have Personhood Rights Under Colorado Law. According to Rocky Mountain PBS, “While abortion has been legal in Colorado for decades, guaranteed access to the procedure was not technically state law, until now. Governor Jared Polis signed House Bill 1279, known as the Reproductive Health Equity Act, into law April 4, 2022. Democrats in the Colorado legislature passed the bill March 23. The bill codifies protections for the full range of reproductive care, including abortions, and makes it so that a fertilized egg, embryo or fetus does not have personhood rights under Colorado law.” [Rocky Mountain PBS, 4/4/22]
[AUDIO] O’Dea Said “No Taxpayer Funding” For Planned Parenthood And Their Issues Could “Be Handled By Nonprofits.” “Q: Would you push to abolish Planned Parenthood? A: No taxpayer funding. They can do that with nonprofits.” [El Paso Co. Meet & Greet, 6/10/2022]
Planned Parenthood Of The Rocky Mountains Provided Care To 92,000 People Annually Across Colorado, New Mexico, And Southern Nevada. [Planned Parenthood Annual Report, 2021]
O’Dea Said Abortions Should Be Illegal After 20 Weeks Of Pregnancy. According to Colorado Sun, “Republican U.S. Senate candidate Joe O’Dea believes abortions should be legal through 20 weeks of pregnancy, after which the procedure should be allowed only in cases of rape and incest or when a mother’s life is at risk, his campaign told The Colorado Sun on Friday.” [Colorado Sun, 8/19/22]
O’Dea Said There Should Be A Law To Protect The Right To Abortion In The First 20 Weeks. According to Colorado Sun, “‘Before viability, in that first 20 weeks, there should be a law that protects the right of women to make the decision for herself — and she shouldn’t have to travel across state lines to do it,’ O’Dea said in a written statement to The Sun on Friday.” [Colorado Sun, 8/19/22]
O’Dea Voted For An Unsuccessful 2020 Ballot Measure That Would Have Outlawed Abortion After 22 Weeks Of Gestation, Or 5.5 Months. According to the Colorado Sun, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Joe O’Dea believes abortions should be legal through 20 weeks of pregnancy, after which the procedure should be allowed only in cases of rape and incest or when a mother’s life is at risk, his campaign told The Colorado Sun on Friday. O’Dea announced his stance after he told The Sun on Thursday that he voted for an unsuccessful 2020 ballot measure that would have outlawed the procedure after 22 weeks of gestation, or 5.5 months. ‘I voted for that,’ O’Dea said in a brief interview after an event in Greenwood Village with U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a Texas Republican.” [Colorado Sun, 8/19/22]