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Washington, DC - Delegate Kathy Tran from Virginia’s 42nd District, along with her family and children, have been receiving death threats for introducing a bill that would lower barriers for Virginians to obtain a late-term abortion procedure. The Repeal Act has been introduced before but has caused a storm in the media this time around because of the GOP’s insistence on misrepresenting Delegate Tran.
APALA National President and appointee from the National Education Association Monica Thammarath stated, “GOP politicians must stop taking cues from the President and apologize for their malicious tactics. Instead of creating a space for discussion and negotiation, GOP politicians are spreading misinformation of the work Delegate Tran is leading for our community and women across Virginia and the country. Delegate Tran has clarified that the Repeal Act does not fundamentally change abortion law in Virginia. Instead, it lowers the barrier for people to gain access to a late-term abortion procedure, an already tough feat for low-income communities and those who face barriers to health care because of language, transportation, and childcare. This bill aims to improve the lives of women, working people, immigrants, and all who believe that our communities deserve access to comprehensive health care.”
APALA Executive Director Alvina Yeh added, “We are proud to have Delegate Tran as the first Asian American woman to win a seat in the Virginia House. Like my family, Delegate Tran came to the United States as a refugee from Vietnam in the 1970s. Because she knows what it’s like for working people and immigrants in the U.S., Delegate Tran has been fighting to create more opportunities for immigrants, secure equal pay for women, expand Medicaid in Virginia, and much more. As part of the blue wave that hit Virginia and other states across the nation this past midterm election, Delegate Tran is part of a powerful group that threatens the GOP. Inciting hate and targeting her family is not how the GOP should legislate.”
The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance stands with Delegate Tran and her family.
Delegate Tran will be hosting a town hall this Saturday, February 2, 2019 from 1:00-3:00PM in Lorton, VA. We invite the AAPI community and the broader progressive community to join APALA DC to attend and show support. If you would like to carpool and attend with the APALA DC Chapter, please fill out this form.