Elissa Slotkin Blasts GOP Anti-Abortion Colleagues: 'Shame On You!'

Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) blasted Republicans  Wednesday for their “heartless, violent approach to women’s health” during a debate over an abortion measure in a veterans bill. (Watch the video below.)

Slotkin, who is seeking a third term against Republican challenger Tom Barrett in November, reacted viscerally to GOP pushback to the Solid Start Act, which would help veterans transition to civilian life.

Republicans objected to the requirement that the Department of Veterans Affairs provide female veterans with information “tailored to their specific health care” needs, which would adhere to a new VA policy  providing abortion access for women vets who are victims of rape, incest or whose life is jeopardized.

“If you can’t state it, then be clear you believe in no exceptions for women — a cold heartless, violent approach to women’s health,” said Slotkin, whose stepdaughter is a female Army officer. “You want to ban all abortions. That is your goal. Many of you have been open about that, and if you flip the House, we know that you will put forward a full ban on all abortion for all states.”

Slotkin excoriated Republicans for holding up a bill that she said should have unmitigated bipartisan support.

“We are all, on this floor, elected officials and not medical professionals,” she said. “If it was your wife, your daughter who was suffering through a miscarriage, are you gonna tell her she can’t until her fever gets high enough and until she’s bleeding harder?”

“If that’s what you want for veterans, shame on you! Shame on you!” she added.