Congresswoman Nikema Williams Demands Accountability from Gov. Kemp and AG Carr on the Impact of Georgia’s Cruel Abortion Ban

WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) expressed deep concern in a letter sent to the Governor of Georgia, Governor Brian Kemp, and Georgia Attorney General, Chris Carr, about the appalling ordeal Adriana Smith and her family are going through because of Georgia’s cruel abortion ban. A 30-year-old mother of one pregnant with her second child has been on life support for roughly twelve weeks despite being declared brain-dead and against the wishes of her family. According to media reports, her family has been informed they do not legally have any other options other than to keep her on life support for another 11 weeks, until the fetus is viable on its own. Outside the legal questions this poses, forcibly keeping Ms. Smith alive is inflicting an incredible emotional and financial burden on her family.

Congresswoman Nikema Williams wrote:

“From my service in the State Senate when the LIFE Act was passed in 2019, I know that the bill was drafted in such a way to create uncertainty among medical providers and my constituents in Georgia’s 5th District about what is permitted under the law and how the law would be enforced. The clear intention of this is to create a chilling effect on doctors providing essential maternal healthcare services and my constituents seeking out lifesaving medical treatment. And now we are seeing this lack of clarity result in unimaginable cruelty to Adriana Smith and her family.

As the sponsor of the Resolution Condemining the Criminalization of Pregnancy Outcomes and the Provision of Essential Healthcare and of the Resolution Affirming Reproductive Rights As Human Rights, my work in Congress is deeply focused on preventing abuses like this. With this ongoing human tragedy in my district, I believe that my constituents require clarity on the legal underpinnings of this so that they can better understand the realities they may face when seeking out healthcare services. I strongly encourage you to provide clarity to the public.

As you both know, a fundamental principle of the law is that it must be clear and specific enough for people to be able to adhere to. I believe that, absent further clarity and reform to the law, cruelty like this will continue to be inflicted upon my constituents.”

Read the full letter here.